Death the Kid's Childhood
by InkDreamer24
Summary: A story of Death the Kid's childhood and how he grew up. Ever wonder how his obsession with symmetry came about, or how his first day at school really went? Now's your chance to find out. (Sorry, bad at summaries.) Light shipping. Lots of father-son fluff. (NO incest) Violence and gore towards the end.
1. Chapter 1: Death the Kid

**CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR MANGA/ANIME**

Ok, so I know Asura is much older than kid and he got trapped under the D.W.M.A and that's how it started...but I'm going to do something a bit different and have Asura grow up with Kid. The D.W.M.A has already started because of some other Kishin, and Asura hasn't fallen to the madness yet, k? And I know they we both made from fragments of Lord Death's soul, but I won't get into that.

Hope you enjoy Death the Kid's childhood! Most of it is set in much younger years, and since Kids age is estimated around 200 years (wiki) I'm having it go by fast.  
>Light shipping, nothing too serious.<p>

This is an AU, so it'll fall between the anime + manga, having bits of both

"Asura-kun~" Shinigami called in a chipper, singsong voice. A tall, skinny boy came wandering into the room. He had a red, polo-striped shirt on with black pants. His face was partly hidden by a long scarf. His jet-black hair with white, choppy stripes circling his head fell over his amber, almost red, colored eyes. His skin was very pale, much like his father's.

"What is it, father?" Asura answered in a monotone voice. He didn't sound pleased to be interrupted.

"Err...well, how should I put this." Shinigami paused, and his voice became serious, "You're going to have a younger brother~!" he exclaimed.

"W-What?" Asura exclaimed, a look of horror on his face. "Father...why? Am I not good enough for you?" he asked, his voice sharp.

"No no, of course not! You know I love you~" Shinigami answered, avoiding the question.

"Father..." Asura said in a warning tone, he didn't like waiting. Shinigami sighed. He couldn't tell his son the real reason, so he decided to go with a less descriptive explanation.

"Well, before your mother...passed away, she wished to have another son. She worried that you were always by yourself, and she wanted you to never be alone," Shinigami explained cautiously. Asura scowled. He knew his father was hiding something, and he'd have to find out. But Asura knew never to pry more into the subject. It was just easier to find out all the details yourself. He simply nodded and walked out of the room.

Asura walked back to his 'home', The Gallows Mansion. It really was a mansion, bigger than any other in the city and bigger than any he'd seen. Walking in the streets, he ignored the stares and whispers. He'd gotten used to them, and he knew no matter what excuse he used, they'd never stop. With a sigh he kept walking and ignored them. He couldn't let his temper flare up, his power was still unstable, and causing a scene wasn't ideal to him at the moment. He opened the door and walked in to find the house empty, as usual.

_Maybe a brother wouldn't be so bad after all_... he thought. Then again, he was used to being alone, he was used to being independent. When your father is Lord Death, you got used to being alone and receiving stares. He trudged up the long stairs to his room and flopped down on his bed and began to think about what it would be like having a brother. Eventually, he fell asleep.

"Asura-kun, you home~?" Shinigami called, his voice happy and childish as ever. Asura rolled over in hid bed and sat up, yawning. He slowly came down the stares, still half-asleep. "I'd like you to meet your new brother~" he said softly. Asura crept forward and peered over Shinigami's arms, where a child lay, sleeping. Since the child was a Shinigami, he already looked like he had aged, and he didn't look like a newborn.

The child had jet-black hair with three white stripes that only went around half of his head. His skin was pale, and he did look cute, Asura had to admit. He also looked like his brother and father. But what shocked Asura and Shinigami was that when the boy opened his eyes, they were vibrant tones of gold, and they were beautiful.

"W-What's his name?" Asura asked softly, still in awe.

"Death the Kid, or Kid for short." Shinigami answered. Asura didn't comment on the fact that Death the Kid was named after his father.

"H-He's perfect..." Asura commented, and smiled for the first time in a while. He could get used to this brother. Under his mask, Shinigami smiled, and Death the Kid giggled.

**Author's Note: I will be doing lots of time skips considering I don't know how to 'fill the pages'. Sorry if this was short. **


	2. Chapter 2: Problems

Kid was almost 3 years old, and yet he displayed the intelligence of someone who was much older. The only problem was he never talked, only a few words. Of course, this didn't concern Shinigami, who never noticed things like that. Kid had never cried before, either. Maybe a couple sniffles, but no full out crying. He wasn't very emotional, and he was able to keep himself busy while his father was at work. One day, Shinigami came home early.

"Hello, Kiddo-kun~!" he sang. "Ready to have some fun?" Kid came racing around the corner, and flung himself into his father's arms and snuggled into his cloak. Shinigami smiled under his mask, and set his son down. "Where's your brother, Kiddo?" Shinigami asked. Kid looked up and shrugged. Shinigami ruffled his son's hair. "Never mind that, let's go."

They walked outside, Kid clutching his father's hand. He loved going out with his dad, they did all sorts of fun things. First, they went to the park. They climbed trees, ran around, and Shinigami showed Kid how to swing on a swing. Then, they went into Death City, where they went to the ice cream store. People stared, and some even ran to get out of the way. It's not everyday you saw Death walking down the street. Shinigami just rolled his eyes under his mask and continued to walk. For some reason, the people staring and hurriedly getting out of the way made Kid mad. He frowned and gave them death stares (ha-ha no pun intended). He scowled at them as well, making them stare even more.

"Is that Lord Death?" "It's Shinigami-sama! That filthy trash." "I didn't know he had a son." "Weird, he'll probably grow up just like his father, a monster with no feelings."

That last one made Kid recoil in shock. His father certainly had feelings! How dare they say that! Shinigami looked down and saw Kid brimming with anger, a purple aura glowing around him.

"Oi, Kiddo. Don't listen to them." Shinigami said quietly, patting Kid's head. Kid looked up, and Shinigami saw the fierce anger in his golden eyes. He sighed. "None of their foolish words bother me, Kid. People have their own opinions, and people resent Death," he explained. "Don't worry about them." some of the anger faded from Kid's eyes, and the aura grew less intense.  
>"How about we eat our ice cream and go?" he suggested, and Kid nodded.<p>

Later, after they had finished, Shinigami put Kid on his shoulders, causing him to smile and giggle. They walked back into the mansion to find Asura sitting on the couch. Asura whipped his head around, narrowing his eyes.

"I see you two had fun." He snapped. Kid's goofy smile faded, and Shinigami took him off his shoulders and set home on the floor. Kid stood quietly, not sure what to do.

"We looked for you, Asura-kun, but you were busy~" Shinigami explained, his voice trying to stay chipper. Asura frowned and turned away.

"You could've tried harder. Whatever, I wouldn't want you to waste your precious time with your favorite son." Asura said, scowling. Shinigami sighed and tried to explain.

"Don't say that, Asura-kun. You know I love you both and-" Shinigami started, but Asura interrupted.

"No, I don't know! He's your favorite, the perfect one!" Asura yelled, his voice growing louder. Shinigami's voice grew stern.

"Asura. Believe what you want, but I am telling you the truth." He said sternly.

"Whatever." Asura muttered. Shinigami turned around and patted Kid on the head.

"I have to go back to work, be good." He said, his voice tired as he walked out the door. Kid stood there for a minute, and then walked over and crawled onto the couch, where Asura was watching TV. Asura glared at him, and Kid pouted, making Asura smile a bit.

"It's not your fault you're perfect, come here." he said, patting the seat next to him. Kid smiled and crawled over, snuggling up against him. Asura smiled softly and patted his brother's head. Soon, they both fell asleep.

Shinigami returned later that night, exhausted. He allowed himself a tiny smile when he saw his two sons cuddled up against each other on the couch. He pulled off his cloak and wrapped it around them, took off his mask and kissed their foreheads. Then, he walked up to his own room.

In the morning, Asura woke up to find Kid still in a deep sleep, and their father's cloak wrapped around them. With a sigh of disgust, Asura flicked it off.

"Stupid...I don't need his help." he said, and walked out the door, leaving Kid behind.  
>It continued to be like that, Asura completely ignoring his father sometimes, but he still stayed with Kid. It seemed like a big gap had opened between Shinigami and Asura.<p>

Shinigami seemed to go more frustrated with Asura everyday, but he was careful not to let their arguments happen around Kid. The only thing they seemed to have in common and agree on these days was they both loved Kid. They kept their arguments a secret.

One time, Asura came home late, while Shinigami and Kid were about to have dinner.

"Oh, Asura-kun welcome back~" Shinigami called. "Where have you been?" Asura shifted uncomfortably.

"Nowhere..." he answered. Shinigami coughed.

"Really? Hmm...does 'nowhere' count as outside of Death City?" Shinigami said, his tone suddenly serious. Asura inwardly cursed himself. He'd forgotten that his father could find anyone, anywhere by using his Soul Perception.

"It's none of your business." Asura muttered.

"Actually, it is, considering I'm your father. What business do you have out of Death City? Why have you been going out almost everyday and "And don't say you've been going out on missions. I know you haven't."

"I don't have to stay within Death City like you do, father. And I have been doing missions! I've been training as well!" Asura answered. He'd told him the truth. Well, maybe not the whole truth.

"I wish you'd tell me when you leave." Shinigami said. Asura scoffed.

"You don't think I can fend for myself? What's out there that you don't want me to see?" Asura exclaimed.

"Lots of things, Asura! Lots!" Shinigami yelled, slamming his oversized gloved hands on the table, causing Kid at the other end to jump a bit. Asura frowned.

"Like what?" Asura yelled back. Shinigami let out a large sigh.

"I can't tell you," he answered.

"Then I can't tell you why I'm going out there." Asura snapped.

"You may not go out there without my ok. It's for your own good."

"Since when have you cared about my own good?" Asura shouted, a furious look in his eyes. Asura's hatred was a burning fire, scorching anyone who dared to get close. Just then, a glass shattered behind them. Shinigami and Asura paused, whipping their heads around. Kid stood there, broken glass at his feet.

His gold eyes were full of anger and sadness, tears brimming on the edge of falling down his face. He glared at them and shook his head.

"Stop fighting." He whispered, and then walked away. Shinigami and Asura stopped, their intensity fading. They made a silent agreement at that moment that they'd never fight in front of Kid again.

**Another short chapter, sorry _ Do you guys like it? I'm trying to improve my writing style…Remember to review!**


	3. Chapter 3: The First Day at School

The next years went by in a flash, Asura and Shinigami growing farther apart, and Kid was stuck in the midst of it all.

One day, before Shinigami left, he asked Kid a question.

"Hey, Kiddo-kun, would you like to go to school?" Kid looked up, excitement in his eyes.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Kid answered excitedly. Shinigami smiled.

"I'm afraid you're too young to attend the D.W.M.A, but I'll put you in a nice school. You'll have to skip some grades, since you're already performing at high levels." Kid nodded.

"Mkay, Papa." Kid answered, obviously still excited even if he couldn't go to his dad's school. Just then, Asura stormed in.

"Father! What do you think you're doing? You can't enroll him in school!" He yelled. Shinigami turned around, looking surprised.

"Why not, Asura-kun~?" He sang. Asura scowled.

"Don't make this a light matter, father, because it's not. You think he can just go to a 'normal' school with 'normal' kids? He can't! He's not normal, and you can't act like he is! It'll be torture for him!" Asura shouted, his voice seething with anger. Shinigami still looked surprised.

"I can't have him stay at home all day, he'll get bored. I have no time to tutor him, and as smart as he is, he can't not go to school." Shinigami explained.

"No! You don't understand! He'll get teased everyday! It'll be a living nightmare for him!" Asura yelled frantically. Shinigami looked at him, and continued with a warning tone.

"Don't talk like that, Asura-kun. It has to happen."

"Fine, then I'll stay home and tutor him myself!" Asura said.

"We both know you won't." Shinigami pointed out quietly. "I'm enrolling him and that's final." Asura scowled and stormed out of the room. Kid sat on the floor, watching with wide eyes and an astonished look. Shinigami sighed.

"Come on, Kiddo, let's go." He said, trying to act happy, but his usual chipper tone was lost. Kid nodded and gave a half smile. He ran to his room, put on a black pair of baggy jeans, a white short-sleeve polo, and a black pair of Vans. Black was the color he loved, since his dad always wore it.

"Is Onii-chan going to school?" Kid asked, tugging on his father's cloak.

"Your brother didn't want to go to school. He's got his own tutor." Shinigami answered. "But I'm sure you'll love school. You don't have many friends, right? You can make some more." Kid smiled and nodded enthusiastically. He held his father's hand as they made their way to the school. When they walked inside, a young woman with brown hair, blue eyes and a dazzling smile welcomed them. Kid liked her already.

"Hi sweetie, you must be Death the Kid. I'm Kawasumi Ayuma, but you can call me Ms. Ayuma. Hello, Lord Death." She said politely.

"I'll walk you to your classroom," She said to Kid. She looked at Shinigami and smiled, "I'll take good care of him, Lord Death." Shinigami nodded.

"Have fun, Kiddo-kun. I have to go to work now~" He said, waving to Kid, who waved back. Ms. Ayuma took Kid's hand and led him down a hallway.

"I'm not your teacher, but I'm sure you'll have fun with Mrs. Ichigo. She's very kind." Ms. Ayuma chattered. Kid wasn't paying much attention to her; he was too busy looking at everything. Ms. Ayuma stopped in front of a classroom and opened the door. Kid was ushered inside, where he stood awkwardly in the front of the classroom. Mrs. Ichigo looked at Ms. Ayuma and smiled.

"Thank you, I'll take him now." She said to Ms. Ayuma, who nodded and left the room. Mrs. Ichigo was an older lady, with brown eyes and frizzy blonde hair. She looked like she'd rather be doing anything else than teaching.

"Class, we have a new student today." She gave a fake smile, and waved a hand at Kid, who shuffled uncomfortably. "His name is...Death the Kid, and he'll be joining us." She said, ushering him to a chair in the middle row. Whispers erupted around the room, and Kid stared at his desk.

"Why does he have stripes in his hair?" "Did you see the color of his eyes?" "He's really Shinigami-sama's son?" "I hate Lord Death, so I hate him"

The day went by pretty fast, considering Kid didn't have to pay much attention since he already learned what they were learning. At lunch, he sat alone, not daring to sit with anyone else. Recess came, and he sat on one of the swings, alone. It seemed like no one would come near him, and this made him confused.

Later, when his dad came to pick him up, he was still pondering the thought.

"What's up, Kiddo? How did your first day go~?" His dad asked. Kid shrugged.

"Good, I guess." Kid answered. They walked home in silence, only making small talk. When they got home, Asura came down stairs, looking concerned.

"You ok, Kid? How was your first day? Did they make fun of you? They did, don't they?" Asura asked quickly. Kid shrugged.

"I'm fine, Onii-chan. They didn't really make fun of me..." Kid answered quietly. Asura wasn't convinced, but he sighed and hugged Kid. "Let's go to the park or somethin'." Asura said, and Kid nodded, smiling. Shinigami smiled under his mask.

They walked side by side to the park, running and playing. Asura loved it when Kid laughed and enjoyed himself, and he'd do anything to see Kid's smiling face. They sat down after the entire evening of running and playing, exhausted. Asura stared into the sky, and then into his brother's face, who had gotten tired and sat on his lap.

"You know...I'll always be there for you, Kid. You can count on me, even when Dad isn't there." Asura said quietly. Kid looked up at him, his gold eyes searching for an explanation. "I promise, ok?" Kid nodded.

"I promise...I promise..." Asura repeated quietly, cradling Kid.

A few days later, Kid walked to school by himself, ignoring Asura's plea to come with him. He was a big boy, he had told himself. He'd be fine.

He showed up, causing the chatter in the room to quiet, turning into whispers and stares. Kid sat down at his desk, absentmindedly twirling his pencil. Just then, it flew out of his hand and landed by the shoes of a boy with brown hair and cold brown eyes.

"C-Can you get that for me?" Kid asked, tapping him on the shoulder. The boy whipped around and snarled.

"Who you talkin' to, freak?" He said rudely. Kid's eyes widened a bit, and he stood there, unsure what to do. The boy smirked, picking up the pencil and snapping it in half. Kid frowned, but didn't say anything. "Oops, was that yours?" he said, mimicking a baby voice and then laughing.

Kid gave a little huff and rolled his eyes, sitting down in his seat. The boy narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to speak, but then Mrs. Ichigo came in to start the class. Kid let his mind wander, staring out the window. He thought school was going to be super fun, but it was kind of boring.

"Kid. Death the Kid." a voice spoke sharply, bringing him out of his daze.

"Huh?" He answered. Mrs. Ichigo was staring with narrowed eyes at him from the front of the room.

"I asked you a question twice, and you didn't respond. If you're done daydreaming, please tell me the answer." She snapped. Snickering was heard from around the room, causing Kid to blush.

"Oh, right, sorry." He mumbled, and gave an answer (which was right, of course.) Mrs. Ichigo rolled her eyes.

"Please pay more attention the next time." She asked. Kid nodded, and the bell rang for recess. The kids filed out the door, excited to get up and run around. Out on the playground, Kid sat on one of the swings, swinging quietly.

"Hey, get out of my swing, freak!" The brown haired boy from earlier called. Kid recalled that the boy's name was Desmond. Kid slowed to a stop and shook his head.

"I got here first. You can have it when I'm done." Kid said quietly. Desmond laughed.

"So? I want it now, anyways." He ran up and shoved Kid out of the swing. Kid fell to the ground, gritting his teeth. His father would be very angry if he got into a fight, he knew, but he really wanted to punch Desmond in the face. Instead, he swallowed his anger, got up, brushed off his pants and walked away. Desmond frowned, hollering taunts and insults after Kid.

"Why you walking away? Come on freak, let's play." "Too scared to fight or something? Hah!" and so on. Kid could hear laughter as he walked away, but he scowled and ignored it.

At lunch, he sat alone like he usually did. While he was walking to his table in the back, a leg stuck out, causing him to trip and fall on his face. Laughter broke out everywhere, and Desmond was smirking down at him.

"You're clumsy and a freak! Ha!" He jeered. Kid slowly got up, turning his face away and continuing to walk. He was afraid if he had turned around he would've punched Desmond or cry. He didn't want to do the latter. He sank down into his seat, barely touching his food, waiting for the bell to ring again. When it did, he walked back to his class and sat down.

Mrs. Ichigo continued her lesson, and Kid tried to pay more attention. When Mrs. Ichigo wasn't looking, Desmond threw a pen at Kid, hitting him square in the head. Kid whipped his head around and glared at Desmond, who smirked.

"Kid. Turn around." Mrs. Ichigo said, and Kid did so without mentioning that Desmond had threw something at him. It happened again, and Kid ignored it, although that one hurt. Once again it happened, and Kid turned around to glare once more.

"Kid! Turn around!" Mrs. Ichigo commanded, frowning. "Stay focused, or it's detention." Kid nodded, his eyes burning with shame at being caught in Desmond's joke.

Right as he turned around, Desmond fired another pen at him. This time, Mrs. Ichigo happened to see.

"Desmond! No throwing things in class." her eyes wandered to the floor around Kid's seat, where other pens lay. Kid was writing, staring down at his desk, while Desmond didn't have any writing utensil. Mrs. Ichigo connected the dots and frowned.

"Desmond. You'll have detention with me 15 minutes before school tomorrow. And Kid, I apologize for wrongly accusing you." Mrs. Ichigo said, choking on that last part. Kid cringed, seeing the hatred in Desmond's eyes.

When school ended, Kid started to walk home. About halfway there, Desmond suddenly popped out from behind a corner, followed by some other kids. He smirked, and Kid found himself surrounded.

_Four against one? How unfair…_ Kid thought.

"So you're getting me in trouble now, huh freak?" Desmond snarled. Kid shook his head. "Now I gotta go in early, all because of you. I think I need to put you in your place, freak." He said, advancing. Kid backed up but was shoved forward by one of Desmond's 'buddies'. Kid stumbled, and Desmond tripped him. Kid fell, and Desmond stood over him, ready to attack.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A voice called from behind, freezing Desmond in his tracks. Kid looked and saw Asura standing, hatred in his eyes.

"A-And why not?" Desmond fired back, trying to keep his cool.

"Anyone who tries to hurt my brother has to go through me first, and if, somehow, you're still alive after that, you'll have to go through my father." Asura said in a voice that sent chills up your spine. To emphasize his point, he suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind Desmond in a flash.

Desmond gasped and stumbled backwards, along with his gang. The shadows around Asura were flickering, making it look as if Asura was a shadow himself. His amber eyes glowed, and his hands were curled into fists. Before Desmond could blink, he felt his feat being swiped out from underneath him, and he landed on his butt. The same happened to his friends, and Asura looked like he was in 4 places at once.

"Go, now. Don't touch my brother again." Asura growled, sending the kids running. He heaved a sigh. Turning around, he saw Kid sitting there staring at him with awe and admiration. "What? It wasn't that big of a deal." He growled. "You need to learn to defend yourself, and you-" Kid stopped him.

"You were there for me." He said softly, his gold eyes shimmering with respect. Asura stuttered, blushing.

"It...It was nothing. I told you'd I'd be there." He mumbled, and Kid nodded.

"Ok, Onii-chan!" Kid said, ecstatic. He jumped up and hugged his brother, who laughed a bit.

"Let's go home, ok Kid? I'll teach you some fighting moves." Kid nodded, clutching his brother's hand and following him home. They walked together, the sunlight dancing on the pavement while cherry blossoms fluttered in the wind. Hand and hand, they talked about, well, everything. Asura told him many stories about great warriors who were able to protect anyone, and how he wanted to become one. Kid listened, that look of admiration still on his face, never to be lost. Asura wanted to savor that moment and look, forever.

**Finally, a long chapter! I liked how this one turned out, how about you guys? **


	4. Chapter 4: Done

The next month passed, and Desmond left Kid alone. Things went back to the way they had always been at school. But one day at recess, Kid was playing basketball by himself, draining threes and shooting layups. Desmond came up and slapped the ball out of his hand, causing it to bounce away. Kid calmly went after it, ignoring Desmond, which made him furious.

"You gonna ignore me this whole time or what?" He shouted, and Kid grabbed the ball and continued to shoot. Without warning, Desmond aimed a kick, catching Kid in the stomach. With a groan Kid doubled over. Desmond kicked his shin, causing him to kneel.

"You know how many nights I walked the streets in fear, freak?" He hissed, and kicked him again. Kids began to gather chanting, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Kid lay curled up on the ground, wanting to do the exact opposite of 'fight'. Desmond was a good 3 or so year older than him, and his kicks hurt.

"Where's that creep, your brother? He's not here now, is he?" Desmond said. "You know how scared of him I was? He made me look like a fool! But he's just a freak, a piece of trash like you and your dad." Kid's head snapped up. His gold eyes turned cold.

He slowly rose to his feat, and Desmond aimed a kick at his head. Kid caught his foot easily, twisting it and causing Desmond to spin and fall.

"Don't talk about my family like that." Kid snarled, his voice as sharp as a knife. "I don't care what you say about me. But I will NEVER allow you to speak like that about my family!" He yelled. Desmond got to his feet and smirked.

"Why not? They're just worthless pieces of trash, monsters. Freaks, all of you are." He taunted. At this point, something and Kid snapped. With a scream of rage, he hurled himself at Desmond, whose eyes widened. Kid attacked him, punching and kicking, beating Desmond up.  
>Desmond tried to run, beg for mercy. But he had crossed the line, the line of no return. Kid spun and kicked him hard in the chest, sending him flying back against a wall, where he lay there in a crumpled heap. Things went by in a blur after that, kids running and backing away, screaming at him.<p>

Some teachers ran out, looks of horror on their face. Some ran over to Desmond, another jerked Kid by the arm and led him inside none too gently. Kid remembered being sat down and locked inside a teacher's conference room. A bit later, a few teachers filed in, followed by his father. Kid could only imagine the look of disappointment under his father's mask. He sank down lower in his seat. Desmond limped in, followed by two concerned parents, their eyes shooting daggers in his direction. Kid shot back.

Shinigami was feeling a flood of emotions. Yes, disappointment was one of them, but he was disappointed at himself for not realizing that this would happen eventually. He felt anger towards the teacher for not preventing it, he felt anger towards the boy they called "Desmond", and he felt anger towards himself. He was concerned for his son, and actually felt a bit sorry for the other boy. I mean, he looked like he had been run over by a truck. A semi-truck. Driven by Chuck Norris. He felt proud, actually. He had no idea his son could fight like that, and Kid looked barely scuffed up. He felt proud his son had held out so long.

Kid barely remembered what they had talked about, he only remembered his father shouting at the parents and teachers, and they shouted back. He remembered his father slamming his hands down on the table, making the others jump, and then grabbing Kid and marching out. They walked home, Shinigami carrying Kid, who stared straight ahead with a blank expression. They walked to a quiet part of the park and sat down on a bench, with Shinigami scanning the area. After a few minutes of silence, he sighed.

"Kiddo-kun...wanna tell me what happened?" He asked cautiously. Kid stared up and him, his expression blank. Shinigami watched as his son's face became downcast and

"I-I'm sorry p-papa...I didn't mean t-to...I...I..." Kid sniffled, stuttering. Shinigami brought his son into a huge hug, cradling him softly.

"It's ok, Kiddo. It's ok. I know you didn't mean to." He sand softly. Kid looked up at him, his gold eyes filled with sadness. "Why did you, Kid?" he asked softly.

"They...they made fun of me, and I didn't mind. But then they made fun of you, papa, and As'ura. They called you names!" Kid recalled, hatred in his eyes. Shinigami chuckled a bit, shaking his head.

"Didn't I tell you not to fret about that?" He said. "I don't care about that. Asura doesn't either, Kiddo." he explained.

"But I do, papa! I hate it!" Kid yelled, and then huffed. Shinigami looked taken back, he didn't know what to say.

"Don't worry, you won't be going back to that school. It was my fault for not realizing Asura was right. I'm sorry, Kiddo." He apologized, and Kid just buried his face in Shinigami's cloak. They returned home, Shinigami carrying a sleeping Kid in his arms. He opened the door, and Asura raced downstairs.

"Is he okay? What-" Asura cried, but Shinigami silenced him, pointing to Kid asleep in his arms. Asura nodded, understanding. Shinigami hopped upstairs, tucking him in. He came out of the door, and told Asura what happened. Asura smirked a bit after hearing how badly Desmond had gotten beat.

"I'll have to get him a private tutor, he's still too young to be in the D.W.M.A." Shinigami said.

"But he fights so well!" Asura exclaimed. Shinigami shook his head.

"I'm not ready to put him through that. He's too young." He said sternly, and sank down on the couch, exhausted. "Even if I founded that school, I'm not making any exceptions."  
>Asura sat next to him, resting his head on Shinigami's shoulder. Shinigami was surprised but happy. They eventually fell asleep, wishing everything could be as simple as it was.<p>

But of course, it could never be like that.

**Hmm, I didn't like this one as much, but I guess it was ok. You have to remember that Kid was put in a higher-grade level, so the kids in his class are a good 2-3 years older than him ;)**


	5. Chapter 5: The Sleepover

Kid got a new tutor, and it turned out to be Ms. Marie, a woman who had just recently become a Death Scythe, and another woman named Yumi, who was also a new Death Scythe. Kid liked them both, although Ms. Yumi could be very scary and stern, and he had once seen Ms. Marie try to marry a toilet. Other than that, he enjoyed their presence and company. Their lessons went quite well, and Kid was a good student.

One night, Shinigami said he'd be working late, and had to go on a business trip. Ms. Yumi, Ms. Marie, Stein, and Spirit were in charge of watching Kid and Asura. Ms. Marie was delighted, saying it would be like a sleepover, and the rest of the group was neutral, not sure what to think.  
>At around 4:00 they came, Ms. Yumi wearing her usual black suit with a ruffled white undershirt. Ms. Marie came wearing shirts and a t-shirt, while Stein and Spirit showed up in their usual attire.<p>

"Marie-sensei, what's a sleepover?" Kid asked timidly, and Spirit shrank down in his seat, mumbling something about 'don't ask...please'. Marie's gold eyes lit up, and she clasped her hands together.

"Ohmygoshicantbelieveyoudontknowwhatitis!" She rambled, and Yumi pushed up her glasses, coughing.

"Slow down Marie, you sound like you just drank 5 cans of Red bull." She commented, and Kid gave her a questioning stare.

"Well, first we braid each others hair, and then paint nails, oooh and makeovers!" Marie sighed dreamily. Kid raised one eyebrow. "Oh...yeah..." Marie chuckled, "I'll only give Stein and Spirit a makeover, no need to worry!" Stein and Spirit exchanged glances and simultaneously sighed in disgust.

"Marie, this is not just a little girl's slumber party." Yumi huffed. "What we really do is decipher documents, eat healthy snacks, watch a historically accurate movie, and go to bed approximately at 7:29." Kid raised his other eyebrow.

"What! You've got it mixed up. We watch romantic movies and chick flicks, play truth or dare, evaluate each other's wardrobe," Kid's mind wandered to his small array of clothing choices and wondered if it was going to be a problem, "and we prank call boys!" Marie squealed.

"Uhm, no, we compare our favorite novels, have discussions about how we could improve our businesses, schedule appointments and decide which types of coffee to drink each day for the next week." Yumi insisted, and Marie snorted.

"Ob-vi-ous-ly you don't know how to have fun," Marie rolled her eyes, "it sounds like you're gonna coordinate a meeting, not a fun filled, exciting sleepover!"

"Isn't it dangerous to use one's entire vocabulary in a single sentence?" Yumi muttered. Marie gasped.

"Oh shut up! You just don't know what a good quality sleepover is!" Marie yelled. Yumi stood up and came face-to-face with Marie. They started shouting back and forth, trying to convince everyone in the room that their ideas were the best, but nobody in the room was really listening. Spirit was pounding his head against the table, muttering 'please, let it stop...' Stein was exploring the fridge, asking no one in particular if there was any vodka available. Finally, Spirit stood up and said,

"Ok, ok, we were instructed to keep the children, including Stein, busy," he said, casting a glare at Stein who was clapping the lights on and off, "and we're not doing a good job of that." Spirit reminded them. Marie and Yumi reluctantly stopped shouting and apologized.

"You're right...let's ask Kid what he wants to do!" Marie declared, and all heads swiveled towards Kid, who stared blankly at them.

"I dunno," he mumbled, suddenly feeling shy. Yumi gave a 'tsk' of disapproval and walked over to his side.

"Don't by shy, we're all friends here. What would you like to do? We could give you training, seeing as the only Death Scythe you've seen in action is Spirit, and he doesn't really meet the expectations..." Yumi suggested, and Spirit glad at her. Kid grinned and nodded.

They walked outside, the air crisp and cool. Stein nodded at Marie, who transformed into a glowing gold hammer. Twirling it expertly around in his hands, he ran towards Spirit, who had transformed his arm into a scythe. Stein pushed off the ground, bringing the hammer down on Spirit, who blocked. His leg now also transformed into a scythe, shot up and forced Stein to break his attack. Stein jumped back and flung Marie at Spirit, who crossed his hands in an 'x' pattern and deflected her. Marie flashed gold as she made contact with Spirit's scythe arm, and Spirit was flung back. Marie came back to Stein like a boomerang, and he came at Spirit with rapid attacks, forcing him back. Spirit tried to go on the offense, but Stein was too well guarded. With an overhead slice, Spirit thought he had his lucky opening, and he kicked forward with his leg. Stein saw it coming though, and he rolled out of the way. In a flash, he was on Spirit's other side and he thrust his palm out, hitting Spirit's chest shouting, "Soul Menace." Spirit was shot back, hitting the ground.

"Ow-w-w! Jeez, you didn't have to do it that hard!" Spirit yelled, clutching his chest. Stein merely shrugged.

"Senpi, I thought you'd do better." Stein commented, and Spirit frowned.

"There's only so much I can do by myself!" He argued, and Marie transformed back into her human form.

"Lades, if you're both done fighting, we can continue." She commented. Kid smirked, but his eyes were filled with awe. Yumi noticed and smiled.

"Stein wasn't even trying. I guess that's what you can expect from the D.W.M.A's best meister. He just graduated, too, what a shame." Yumi explained, and Kid nodded.

"What's your weapon form?" He asked, and Yumi nodded at Stein and glowed purple, transforming into a sleek Gun-bow, a cross between a crossbow and some sort of a gun, possibly a musket. Stein caught it with ease and fired shots at Spirit, who gave a squeak of surprise and ducked behind a bush.

"Yumi can hit every target, even if her meister doesn't have much accuracy." Stein said and Kid examined her weapon form.

"Can I try and wield you guys?" He asked boldly. They all stopped and stared at him uneasily. Yumi transformed back and crouched by Kid's side.

"Well...you see, it's very hard to match wavelengths with a weapon at the first encounter, and even harder for someone your size and level of skill. It's almost impossible to do so with a Death Scythe as well." Yumi exclaimed. Kid frowned.

"I want to try." He said stubbornly, and Stein shrugged.

"Why not?" Stein asked. Marie shot him a death stare.

"You know very well why not! He could be gravely injured or even killed of he tried to Resonance!" She hissed. Spirit put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"I think he knows that, Marie, and Kid looks like he's willing to take the risk."

"Well, I'm not! I don't know if you want to risk it and be 'Shinigami chopped' when Lord Death finds out his son is hurt!" Marie exclaimed, and the group shuddered. Kid rolled his eyes.

"Just let me try!" He pleaded, and Marie reluctantly gave in to those beautiful gold eyes. She jumped up and transformed. The whole group tensed as she came down and connected with Kid's hand.

Instead of dropping down dead, Kid caught Marie and wielded her like an expert. Everyone gasped in surprise, and Stein shook his head. "He's dangerous, if he can wield a death scythe at this age." He mumbled to himself. Next he tried with Yumi and Spirit, and he wielded them with ease as well. Of course, he couldn't manage quite as well as Stein could, but for his age and level, he was amazing.

They came back inside, sore and tired, but excited at Kid's new found skill. They settled down in the kitchen for dinner, which Yumi cooked despite Spirit's pleas, and ate happily. Asura joined them later, coming home at an earlier hour than usual. No one questioned his appearance, they knew better than to ask his where he had been. Everyone ignored Marie's ideas for makeovers and such, and they decided to watch a movie instead. They scanned the expensive, 90 inch plasma TV sitting in the living room with awe, trying to figure out how to work it. Finally, they got it to turn on, and watched the new Transformers, since Spirit wouldn't watch a romantic movie, and Stein loved watching action movies. Asura took his spot, the fancy leather recliner, while the others sank down into the plush couch to watch.

Halfway through, Yumi and Kid looked over to see Marie asleep against a blushing Stein's shoulder. The chuckled, and then Yumi absentmindedly allowed Spirit to put his arm around her. Eventually, they all fell asleep, piled up on the couch.

Late at night, Marie and Stein awoke to a noise in the kitchen and exchanged glances, alert and ready to fight. They crept up from the couch, careful not to wake anyone else, and tiptoed into the kitchen. Turning the corner, their eyes widened.

Spirit and Yumi were raiding the fridge.

At the sound of footsteps, Spirit whipped his head around, a chicken leg hanging out of his mouth. Yumi turned as well, and dropped the spoon she was using to eat a container of ice cream. Marie's jaw dropped, and Stein gave them a confused look, rubbing his eyes.

"Azusa Yumi! I didn't know you went on late night raids!" Marie joking exclaimed, and Yumi blushed.

"I...err, didn't want Spirit to be lonely..." She answered lamely. "I didn't know you thought Stein's shoulder was a pillow!" She fired back, and both Marie and Stein blushed. Spirit gave a snort of amusement and closed the fridge, eating whatever was left.

"They don't really stock their fridge, very unprepared." Spirit commented.

"I'm sure they're just not used to maniacs raiding their fridge." Marie scoffed. Spirit gave her a sort of understanding shrug and went back to eating. "Anyways, let's all go to sleep, we'll need it." She suggested with a yawn and trudged back to the couch, flopping onto it. He suddenly jerked her head up in alarm.

"Uh, where's Kid?" She whispered, and everyone froze, glancing around the room.

"This could be a problem." Stein said bluntly, and Yumi gave him a 'yah think?' glare. Spirit smiled and tapped them all on the shoulder, pointing to the recliner. Kid was snuggled up against Asura, who had his arm wrapped protectively around him. They all gave sighs of relief, smiling softly and going back to sleep.

The next morning, Shinigami returned, and saw that everything had gone smoothly. Spirit sighed in relief when he knew that he wouldn't get chopped on the head, and Yumi reminded him that he would've if she and Marie hadn't been there. They assured Shinigami that they'd be happy to do it again anytime he asked, and he agreed, saying Kid must've loved it. After they left, he found his two sons still asleep, and he smiled under his mask.

**So I had a lot of fun with this chapter for some reason… As a shinigami, Kid can practically match wavelengths with anyone and wield any weapon. Oh, and there's so many forms of Azusa's name, so I just decided to pick 'Yumi'. They're all younger and care-free in these chapters anyways.  
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	6. Chapter 6: Asura

"Chichiue. Chichiue!" A voice called, and Shinigami groaned as he turned over in his bed. A figure stood above him, hands on his hips. Shinigami squinted, trying to make out the figure. Was it a friend or foe? Did it bring danger into the room? It seemed to be arguing about something, waving its hands and arms. He groaned, not wanting to talk to the thing that would certainly bring challenges and difficulty...Who was this person?

Oh, right, his son. Death the Kid.

Shinigami sat upright, yawning. Kid rolled his eyes and sat next to him.

"Chichiue, you can't sleep forever. I've made breakfast, and unless you eat it it'll become cold." Kid scolded, trying to drag his dad out of bed. He tugged on his arm, and tried to budge him. Kid lost his grasp and tumbled over the edge of the large bed, flopping on the floor with a thud. Shinigami chuckled, and Kid frowned. He observed his father's raven-black messy hair, and envied the three white stripes that fully surrounded his head. His father's eyes were light brown and they sparkled with amusement, and a grin spread across his pale face. Kid liked how much he resembled his father and his brother.

"Chichiue...!" Kid complained. (Chichiue means 'honorable father'). Shinigami reluctantly got out of bed and followed his son, who ran down the stairs. He shoved a plate of food towards his father, who smiled at the sight of pancakes lathered in syrup, eggs, and crispy bacon. His son was a talented cook, unlike himself. He silently praised Marie for giving his cooking lessons. He sat down to eat, while Kid straightened up the kitchen, making sure everything was precise and perfect.

"Do you know where your brother ran off to?" Shinigami asked, not looking up from his food, because he already knew the answer.

"No, he left not too long ago. Went to train or something." He replied, a hint of sadness in his voice. Shinigami nodded, and finished his food. He put on his mask and in a chipper voice announced he had to leave for work. Kid gave him a quick hug and watched him go, knowing he wouldn't see him until late, if at all. He sighed and looked around the house. Marie and Yumi weren't coming today; they had training to attend to. Spirit was looking after his own child, who Kid still hadn't met even after all these years. Stein was probably off dissecting some poor creature, and Asura was gone for training.

Kid walked down the hall, picked up a perfectly sharpened, well-kept sword and walked outside, practicing his strokes. He did the same with an array of weapons, such as a scythe, two daggers, a rifle, and a bow and arrow. His father had instructed him to practice everyday. After that one day a couple of years back when they had discovered he could wield any weapon and resonance easily, they decided training would be appropriate, so Kid trained. He was still too young to attend the D.W.M.A, and he didn't really want to go to a school again.

Later on in the day, Kid prepared lunch and dinner for himself, and left two plates in the microwave for Asura and his father. He ate alone, like he usually did. When he finished, he decided to find something to do. His footsteps rang against the hard, cool tile. Turning corners and climbing stairs, he navigated through the large, empty hallways. He stood in front of two large brass doors, and with a shove he opened them.

A sigh of satisfaction escaped him as he walked into the room he loved, a library. Thousands of books lined the shelves, their covers screaming, "read me!" The library itself was 2 stories, with plenty of comfortable reading places. Books were stacked around every twist and turn, piled high. Kid ran his fingers along the delicate cases, admiring the fine, leather-bound spines. He selected a few and claimed up to a ledge by a window that overlooked the city. He stayed there for some time, reading as many books as he could.

Time flew by, and before he knew it he saw the sun low in the sky, fighting off sleep, until it disappeared behind the mountains. With no light left, and no candles in sight, he decided to go back downstairs. Asura and his father would be home soon anyways. Kid's ears perked up as he heard footsteps in the house. With a smile he ran down the many flights of stairs and flung himself into his brother's arms. Asura hugged him back, grinning.

"Hey Kiddo, what's up?" Asura asked while he made his way into the kitchen.

"Nothin', your dinner is in the microwave." Kid told him with a smile. Asura pulled the dinner out and his stomach grumbled at the sight of well-cooked steak, potatoes, and corn.

"As always, it looks delicious!" Asura exclaimed, patting his brother on the head. Kid giggled and blushed at the praise. Asura sat down and reached for the tall glass of water, and Kid frowned, catching his arm.

"What's this? What happened?" Kid ordered, examining a large scratch on top of a nasty bruise. Asura avoided his piercing gaze.

"Training got a bit...out of hand," Asura explained, and Kid shook his head.

"Be careful, Onii-chan, please." Kid asked softly, concern in his voice.

"I will." Asura promised. Just then, their father trudged through the door.

"Chichiue!" Kid cried with excitement, and hugged him tightly. Shinigami hugged him back, but his stare was trained on Asura.

"Asura-kun," Shinigami said, not even bothering to mask the anger in his voice, "would you like to tell me why your training consists of witches?" Kid recoiled in shock, glancing at his brother's guilty face. "And why are you outside of Death City to do this training?!" Shinigami roared, and Kid shrank back.

Asura's eyes narrowed, and he returned his father's cold stare.

"They are helping me with my training, father. Unlike you, they seem to care if I am able to defend myself." He snapped, and Shinigami shook his head.

"Those witches are dangerous, very dangerous! They are the sworn enemies of people, Asura, not to mention reapers like ourselves!"

"They are not dangerous, father! Not every witch is bad! Why do you hate them so?" Asura yelled.

"You wouldn't understand what they've done to us. They've killed hundreds of us." Shinigami yelled back, trying to contain his anger.

"We've killed thousands of them! We could make peace with them, they can help us!" Asura tried to reason.

"Then why did they attack the school last night?" Shinigami asked, his voice quivering with acid. Kid saw a glimpse of what he looked back then.

"It was a warning! They could've attacked with full force and destroyed the city! They're warning us to stay back, we've got to close to their realm." Asura explained.

"Yes, so stay back! Can't you see! Reapers and witches do. Not. Mix!" Shinigami hissed. "What if something happens to you? I can't reach you outside of Death City!"

"Good, cause' I don't need you to." Asura snapped, glaring at the man he used to call his father. Shinigami's eyes widened behind his mask. He could see what was happening. Madness was getting to him, and the witches were making sure of that.

With a shout, Asura suddenly attacked Shinigami. He came at him with hatred and madness gleaming in his eyes. Shinigami dodged all of his attacks, although they were stronger than he had remembered. Kid watched with disbelief, and used Soul Perception to see their wavelengths. Asura's was red, roaring like a fire, while Shinigami's was a powerful gold. Asura's was expanding by the minute, growing more and more powerful. He was shouting at his 'father', shooting his soul wavelength at him. Flashes of red and gold clashed, lighting up the room. Shinigami was taking the blows, not even bothering to deflect them in fear of them hitting Asura. He wouldn't attack his son. He couldn't. Asura suddenly materialized a large amount of power, ready to shoot it at Shinigami, who knew he must deflect it, or else he'd be badly injured. But...he couldn't attack his son...his eyes hardened, shutting out his emotions. He had to, but he wouldn't. Kid watched in horror, knowing his father wouldn't deflect the blast Asura was preparing to send.

Everything went by in a blur. Asura released the power, throwing it towards Shinigami with a shout. But neither of them noticed a figure quickly standing between them. Shinigami shut his eyes, waiting for the impact. _I cannot detect it. Asura is sending all of his hatred towards me. If I deflect it, it could kill him. _He thought. He waited, and time seemed to slow. The blow never came, and he heard Asura shout, "No!" He slowly opened his eyes, and saw a figure in front of him that had taken the blow. He saw the skinny figure sway, take two steps, and then fall to the ground.

Kid had watched Asura prepare to fire, and he watched his father's arms drop to his sides. He saw Asura begin to fire, and his father just stood there. With a cry of alarm, Kid sprinted forwards, and at the last moment, jumped in front of the blow.

The blast hit him full on, square in the chest. He felt immense pain spread, and his body felt as if it was on fire. Black spots danced in his vision, and his thoughts blurred. He felt his body shut down. He tried to take a step, but instead he crumpled to the ground. He could faintly hear his brother crying his name, and he saw his father fling off his mask, and he felt his hands shaking him.

"Stay with me, Kid! Stay with me! Stay with..." Kid could make out some words, saw his father's panicked face, and then he blacked out.

**Yes, I have finally updated, sorry for the cliffhanger. I'm pretty bad at making long chapters, so you'll have to excuse me for that. Anyways, I'm going to be very busy for the next month or so, vacationing, summer reading, packing...ect. Sorry again!**

**REVIEW please~ it gives me inspiration and lets me know what I should try to change. **

**-Shay  
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	7. Chapter 7: This is goodbye?

Kid's eyes fluttered open, and bright lights were everywhere. He squinted, trying to shut out the painful light, and crawl back into darkness. He took deep breaths, and felt pain shoot rough his chest. With a groan, he fully opened his eyes. He heard voices shout around him, but everything looked blurry. He blinked rapidly and tilted his head up. _Where am I? _He thought.

Shinigami was asleep in a chair inside the infirmary at the school. Last night, when his son took a blast from Asura, he had collapsed in Shinigami's arms. He had quickly mirror-called Stein, Marie, Yumi, and Spirit, telling them to meet him at the school's infirmary. There, they rushed to Nygus, who took him into intensive care, and Stein followed. The rest waited outside until he was put into another room. Nygus and Stein came out, exhausted but happy. They reassured everyone that Kid would be all right. He just needed rest. Shinigami had slumped down in a chair by his son's bed, watching him barely breathe. It was torture, seeing his son's frail body struggle to recover. The next morning, Shinigami had finally fallen asleep, and so had everyone else.

Shinigami awoke and snapped his head up when he heard a groan from his son. He saw Kid's eyes flutter open, blinking in confusion.

"Chi...Chichiue?" Kid croaked, and Shinigami sighed in relief.

"I'm right here, Kid, I'm right here. You're alright." He said softly, stroking his son's hair.

"Oh…Where am I?" Kid asked, trying to sit up, but stopped when he felt his father's hands on his chest.

"Don't get up, you need to rest." Shinigami explained softy, and Kid flopped down without protest. He felt so sore, and tired.

"Where's Asura?" Kid questioned timidly. The long pause before Shinigami told him conformed his suspicions.

"He's gone, Kid." Shinigami answered, sadness in his voice. Kid nodded slowly and his vision blurred, but this time because of the tears welling up in his eyes. He rapidly blinked, trying to clear them away, but they streamed down his face. Shinigami had his mask off, but he wished he had it on to conceal the tears trickling down his own face. Kid looked over and sniffled.

"D-Don't cry, Chichiue." Kid said softly, and Shinigami gave a sad chuckle. He pulled his son in close, hugging him with all his might.

"I'm so sorry, Kid, I've failed you and Asura. I won't make the same mistake again." He promised, and he heard a groan.

"That kinda hurts..." Kid said, and Shinigami released him, apologizing. He wiped his son's tears away, and carried him home.

The destruction at home had been cleared away, and nothing suggested a recent fight. Shinigami carried Kid up to his room and placed him on his bed, and left so he could sleep. Shinigami sighed, knowing nothing would be the same. Ever.

That night, Kid woke up to footsteps gliding across the floor. He shot upright, wincing at the pain in his chest, and scanned the room.  
>A figure was crouching beside his bed, and Kid opened his mouth to shout out, but the figure stopped him.<p>

"It's me, Kid. Your brother." The figure whispered, and Kid's eyes widened.

"Onii…Chan..." He stuttered, and Asura winced, expecting Kid to attack. Instead, Kid wrapped his arms around him. "Onii-chan!" He cried, tears rushing down his face. Asura started crying, too.

"Kid, listen to me," He said, tilting Kid's face up, "I can't stay here anymore, I'm sorry." He whispered and Kid nodded sadly. "I'm so sorry. I...I can't be there for you. But I love you, Kid, please remember that." He said, hugging Kid. He then let go, and walked to the window, jumping out onto a roof below. He waved a farewell, and vanished. Kid lay in his bed trying to contain the tears, and finally cried himself to sleep.

In the morning, Shinigami crept quietly upstairs, looking upon the tear-stained face of his son. He took his glove off, pressed his hand to Kid's forehead, spoke a few quiet words, and saw a look of confusion and pain cross his son's face, but he kept sleeping. Shinigami walked out of his room, sighing deeply. He hated to do it, but it was best if Kid didn't remember Asura.

**Sorry, short chapter. I'm very busy at this time…**

**I liked having Kid's memories of Asura erased, since he didn't recognize him as his brother in the manga. **


	8. Chapter 8: A Friend

(Years later, but doesn't feel like it since reapers age system is messed up. Kid is around 12)

Kid awoke approximately at 6:00. He couldn't sleep in today. He took a shower in the luxurious bathroom that was as a regular sized room by itself. He changed into his usual attire, a black suit with white stripes on both shoulders and down his chest. A black skull pendent was pinned to his suit's collar, replacing a tie. He comes his raven-black hair, frowning in disgust at the three white stripes that only circled halfway around his head. He walked briskly downstairs, preparing breakfast for himself and going through his normal routine of checking to make sure everything was perfect, precise, and of course symmetrical. He then finished his studies that Ms. Yumi had assigned him. His eyes wandered around the vast, empty house. His father didn't even live there anymore. He only came home about once a month, if even. It had been that way for quite some time, and Kid had gotten used to it, although a little bit of his heart yearned for his father's company. A knock at the door interrupted his train of thought, and he walked over to open it. He saw Spirit standing there with a cheesy smile. The sun glinted off his dark red hair, and Kid didn't notice the figure that stood behind him. He opened the door and let Spirit inside.

"Hello, Spirit. What brings you here?" He asked. A figure emerged from behind Spirit, and Kid looked a bit surprised.

"Well, yah see, I have to report to the school for some business, and I didn't want to leave my daughter alone, so I figured you two could get to know each other. Be good, Maka!" He chirped and then ran out the door. They stood awkwardly facing each other for a minute or so, until Kid cleared his throat.

"I'm Death the Kid, you must be Maka, pleased to meet you." Kid offered has hand politely and Maka shook it.

**(Kid's POV-point of view-)**

I stood there awkwardly facing the new girl who was apparently Spirit's daughter. She had light brown hair pulled into two symmetrical pigtails, and emerald green eyes that sparkled with interest. She was wearing a red plaid skirt with a white undershirt, yellow vest, and a small green and silver striped tie. She wasn't too small; she only stood about two inches shorter than me. I welcomed her, and shook her hand.

"So, you're Lord Death's son?" She asked. I nodded, and she grinned. "I can tell." She didn't offer any explanation, so I didn't ask. She stared around the house, admiring the architecture. "Wow, it's huge! And everything is so..." She paused.

"Symmetrical?" I offered and she smiled.

"Yeah, it's cool!" She exclaimed. I grinned.

"Wanna see something cooler?" I asked, and she nodded. I subconsciously grabbed her hand and led her around corners, down halls, and up staircases. We finally found ourselves in front of two large brass doors, and I realized I had been holding her hand the whole time. I let go, blushing, and was surprised to see her face turn a light shade of pink.

"Uhm, we're here." I said, clearing my throat, and pushing open the doors. Maka gasped, and awe filled her eyes.

**(Maka's POV)**

Kid led me through his large mansion, knowing exactly where to go. He had grabbed my hand, and his touch was cold, but comforting. His black hair with those odd stripes flounced around his head, and his pale skin looked even paler against the sharp black suit he was wearing. He led me up a perfectly polished spiral staircase, and he stopped in front of two, large brass doors. I guess he realized he had been holding my hand, because he jerked his away and blushed, causing me to blush.

"We're here." He said, and pushed open the doors. I gasped.

It was a library. A huge library chalk full of books. I squealed in delight, and saw Kid grin. I ran towards the first shelves I could find, running my hands along the finely bound spines, opening books and ruffling through their pages.

"You like books, I'm guessing?" Kid asked, a childish but happy grin on his face. I nodded enthusiastically.

"Where did you get all of them? There's some I've never seen except in museums! And some are so new!" I whispered excitedly.

"We get new shipments of books every month. Some have been in here for ages. My father apparently did some quest for a village that had skill in producing and getting their hands on books. Now, in addition to the books we already have, they send in more books as a token of their gratitude. I nodded my understanding, and went back to looking at the books.

"You can take some home if you'd like." Kid offered, and I shyly nodded. "I have more than I can handle." Kid led me up to the second floor, showing me even more books. I felt like I was in heaven, surrounded by books everywhere. Kid pointed to a ledge by a window. "Pick out some books, and read them up there. It's my favorite spot." he blushed a little when he said that, but I nodded.

"I have favorite reading spots, too." I reassured him, and he grinned. We both picked up some books, and climbed up to the ledge. I gasped. The view was beautiful! "It's...wow, gorgeous!" I exclaimed, and settled down to read, Kid at one end and me at the other.

**(Narrator/third person view)**

Kid and Maka became lost in their own world, laughing, sharing memories, and of course reading. The doorbell rang before the new it, and they were down in a flash. Spirit appeared at the door, smiling.

"Did you have fun, Maka dear?" He asked, staring at them both. Maka nodded enthusiastically.  
>They started to walk at the door, Kid bidding them farewell. Before they reached the doorsteps, Maka suddenly turned around, giving Kid a quick peck on the cheek. Kid's face turned beet red, and his eyes grew wide. Maka smiled sheepishly, blushing as well.<p>

"Sorry, I...just, thanks for everything. It was really fun!" Maka explained, and then rushed after her father who was standing there with an open jaw. She dragged him away, waving. After they turned the corner, Kid stood there still, a hand on his bright red cheek and a goofy smile on his face. He walked back inside, and the mirror in the hall rang. Kid rushed over to answer it, and his father's childish mask popped onto the screen.

"Hey Kiddo-kun! Your stripes are looking cute as ever~!" He sang, and Kid rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore the comment.

"Hello, Chichiue." Kid answered with a smile.

"You look a little red, been out in the sun? How was the date with Spirit's daughter?" Shinigami asked. Kid blushed even more.

"Chichiue! A date? I just met her!" Kid explained, flustered. Shinigami chuckled, but nodded.

"Oh alright...just checking up on you!" He sang. Kid's look became a bit more serious, and he stared at his shoes.

"Chichiue...are you gonna come home anytime soon? It's been two months..." Kid questioned timidly. Shinigami heaved a deep sigh.

"Sorry Kiddo, work is keeping me here." He said, and Kid nodded, his bangs covering his eyes. "Well, call you again tomorrow!" He said, and the mirror went blank. Kid sighed, placing a hand on the cold, glass surface. He leaned his head against it so that his forehead was touching the surface. He missed his father. Sure, he called him, but he was never home. Of course, work was important, but wasn't his own son? Kid shook his head. Of course he was important to his father, but his father must also work.

He walked up the spiral staircase to his room and kicked off his shoes, flopping down into his bed. He felt like shouting, like punching the wall, but he knew he mustn't act childish. Two months wasn't such a long time. But it was when your father only stayed home one day for the last two months. It was a long time to Kid. He soon fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, waiting for the next day to come.

A couple of weeks went by, and Maka came over more frequently. They had something in common, and that was their love for books. They also loved taking walks in the park, and enjoying nature. Quiet things that most adults would like. Maka was Kid's only friend, besides adults. He liked her cheerful voice, the way she viewed things with such optimism.

One rainy day, where the sky was a dark gray, Kid stared out the window and watched raindrops play the piano on the stone pavement. A knocking at the door jarred him out of his daze, and he went to open it.

A bedraggled figure stood there, shaking in the flimsy coat wrapped around their skinny shoulders.

"Maka...?" Kid asked, confusion and concern in his eyes. "Come in, come in! You're soaking wet, and shaking. You'll catch a cold." He scolded, removing her coat and his. He wrapped her in his own coat, and she whispered a thank you. He brought towels down and sat her down on the couch, handing her a steaming cup of tea. He was surprised to see tears cascading down her face, and her shoulders shaking. "What's wrong?" He asked softly. Maka leaned her head on his shoulder, accepting his comforting tone.

"It's been two years since Mama left...she hasn't come back." Maka mumbled softly. Kid frowned, but decided it was better not to talk and just listen. "To make it worse, Papa was...w-was...cheating on her!" Maka spat out, crying even harder. Kid awkwardly put his arm around her, pulling her in close.

"I never knew my mother." Kid said softly, and Maka looked up at his grim face.

"R-Really?" She asked. Kid nodded slowly.

"Yeah...my father said she passed away after I was born. I never got to see her. When I ask about her, my father won't tell me. He shuts down and changes the subject." Kid explained. Maka wiped her eyes and sat up straighter.

"Do you...wonder what she was like?" Maka pried. Kid shrugged.

"She must've been nice, if my father loved her. The only thing he said was that I got her laugh." Kid said, staring straight ahead. "My father...he won't even come home. I never get to ask him about her." Maka's eyes welled up.

"Oh Kid, I'm sorry..." She cried, and Kid gave a sad smile.

"Maka, I think your papa loves you and your mom." Kid thought out loud, and Maka raised an eyebrow. "Just give him a chance." Maka nodded, and then fell asleep. Kid sat there, lost in his thoughts.

Later, Maka woke up feeling restored. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes, and saw Kid's gold eyes meet hers.

"Did you stay awake while I was sleeping?" She asked with a yawn. "Sorry! I shouldn't have fallen asleep, I didn't mean to." Maka rambled, and Kid shushed her.

"I don't sleep much anyways, don't worry. You needed a nap. I'll walk you home if you want." Kid offered, but Maka saw the dark circles under his beautiful eyes.

"No, I'll be fine. You need to rest, please." Maka said, ignoring his pleading stare. "Sleep, now." she ordered, and Kid reluctantly climbed the stairs to his bed again. Maka left, bidding him a good sleep. He slept well, better than he had in a long time. Kid and Maka began growing closer, becoming the best of friends.

But, one day was about to change their friendship.

Kid opened the door and smiled at Maka, letting her inside. She looked ready to burst from excitement.

"Kid! I have to tell you something!" Maka shouted, grabbing his hands and dancing around.

"W-What is it, Maka?" He asked, recovering from his shock.

"I'm going to go to the D.W.M.A!" She cheered, and the room went silent. Kid's face fell, but he quickly faked excitement.

"Oh...wow, Maka that's great!" Kid lied, coating his voice with happiness. Maka stopped and eyed him suspiciously.

"You're...happy for me, right?" She asked, and Kid nodded quickly.

"Of course, you'll love my father's school!" He reassured her.

"I'll still be able to visit you, you know. Nothing will change!" Maka declared. Kid smiled, hoping she couldn't see the sadness in his eyes. "Why don't you come, too?" She asked, and Kid shrank back, shaking his head rapidly. Maka frowned as she saw regret and sadness in his eyes.

"I can't." He answered shortly. "There's no reason to, I'd be at a higher level than everyone anyways." He winced a bit, "Sorry, that sounded rude." Maka looked hurt, and Kid regretted saying no.

"Oh. Okay, that's fine." Maka said, gave him a quick hug and walked out the door. Kid sighed, and returned to the library to continue his studies.

**At a request from a reader, I decided to bring Maka in! I don't necessarily ship these two, but I felt like they have one of the best relationships as friends. The first encounter may have been rushed, but I figured they didn't need much prompting to be friends.  
><strong>

**There isn't any reason for him to attend the D.W.M.A yet, but I mostly wanted him to feel scared about going back to school, considering what happened when he went to that other school. Maka doesn't understand this, so she feels hurt that he would think he's better than all the students (in a snobby way). **


	9. Chapter 9: Maka's Friends

A full week had gone by, school had started, and no sign of Maka.

"She must be busy..." Kid mumbled, staring out the window at his father's school. Just then, the mirror rang, and Shinigami popped up. Kid jumped a little, surprised.

"Chichiue?" Kid asked. "Why are you calling?" He wanted to add, 'you never call', but felt like that could be rude.

"I'm gonna have to skip coming home for a while, sorry Kiddo." He apologized, and Kid frowned.

"But...you promised. You said you'd be home tonight. It feels like forever since you came home." Kid admitted, finally letting his disappointment show.

"...I know. I'm sorry. Another time, k?" He said, and the call ended. Kid's fist curled, and he smashed it into the wall. Wincing, he saw blood spring from the fresh wounds. A decent size hole was now in the wall, and he cursed himself.

"When are you coming home?!" He yelled, exasperated. He gave a heavy sigh, and decided to go for a walk.

The breeze ruffled his hair, and he stuck his hands in his pockets. He shuddered; the wind was chilly this night. Shouts caught his attention, and he veered towards the park. He proceeded cautiously, wondering who was around. Laughter pierced the air, and the sound of a basketball being dribbled rang through the wind. Kid peered around a corner, keeping himself in the shadows. Kids were using the basketball court lit by floodlights. There were around 10 or so, he couldn't tell. A familiar shade of light brown caught his eye, and he almost called out her name.

"Maka...?" He said, his voice trailing off. Other kids surrounded her around her age, and they looked like they were having a good time. A stocky, muscular boy with blue hair was running around, cheering as if he had won the championship. A tall, pretty girl with black hair was trying to quiet him down, but with no luck. Maka was hitting some guy with white hair and red eyes, yelling at him and collapsing into a fit of laughter. A small girl with short pink hair was trying to avoid a love-struck boy with crazy glasses and two strands of hair sticking out. One tall boy with dark skin was practicing his boxing, acting like he was going to attack the wall. Kid shrank back into the shadows, not wanting to disturb them. As he turned, his foot caught a loose stone, and it clattered across the pavement. He winced, and heard shouts.

"Hey, I think someone's there!" The boy with blue hair screeched, and started running in that direction, his friends trailing.

"Good thing I brought a cloak." Kid muttered, and he wrapped a cloak tightly around him, hoping the hood would conceal his face. He dashed through the streets, running down back roads and alleys. He looked over his shoulder and saw people chasing him. He ran harder, gaining a lead. Suddenly, something jumped down from the roof, landing in front of him. He cursed and took a hard left, barely avoiding the person's grasp. After a few minutes of hard running, he slowed to a fast jog. Nobody was following him anymore. He breathed in relief, and stared towards his house.

A flicker of movement caught his eye, and he wheeled around just in time to avoid a punch.

"Found you! Where yah going?" The boy with blue hair yelled, throwing punches at him. Kid merely avoided them, trying hard to conceal his face. "Come on, you can't just sneak around and not expect me to follow you! If you want my autograph that much, you could just ask..." The boy exclaimed with a snicker. Kid rolled his eyes; he could already tell this one was going to be annoying. He really didn't want a repeat of what happened many years ago with that one boy named "Desmond".

The boy became more persistent, throwing harder and harder punches. Kid had enough, and he blocked a poorly aimed punch. Swinging his leg around, he roundhouse kicked the boy in the chest, sending him flying back. All of the other friends tensed, ready to jump in, but the boy sprang up and laughed.

"You're good! Nobody's ever caught me off guard!" He commented, and then ran towards him. They danced around in circles, blocking each others attacks and aiming ones of their own. Kid could see that the other boy was getting antsy. He obviously had a reputation, and suddenly Kid had threatened it. He had to hold out long enough and hopefully the boy's anger would get the best of him.

He was right; the boy started attacking with brute strength. Kid avoided the wildly thrown kicks and punches. One caught him on his side, and he sucked in air, gasping. Kid quickly recovered, feeling a dull pain in his side.

"Like that? I just hit you with my wavelength!" The boy boasted, and then tried again. Kid was ready this time, and he sidestepped. With a powerful lunge, he brought his foot up, and it connected with the side of the boy's face. Kid then quickly gave a few rapid punches to his stomach, and watched in satisfaction as the boy fell to the ground, groaning. Kid gave a small bow.

"If you'll excuse me." Kid mumbled, and walked hastily away.

"Not so fast! Tsubaki!" The boy yelled, and the tall girl with dark black hair materialized into a short sword, almost like a katana. "Who are you?" He shouted, jumping for an attack. Kid realized he was aiming for his hood, and he didn't have enough time to side step. The boy's plan was to cut the hood off, hook it back, or rip it off. Either one would work. But then Kid raised his arm to block the sword, and the boy could only reduce the power. With a cry, Kid fell down, feeling blood pour out of the wound. It was deep, he knew. The boy landed, and dropped his weapon.

"Hey...hey! You weren't supposed to block! Are you ok?" He panicked, running to Kid's side. The rest followed. Kid scrambled away, clutching his bleeding arm. He just ran away into the dark streets. They tried to follow, but Kid seemed to disappear into the shadows. The crew stood, watching. The boy shook his head.

"He wasn't supposed to block...!" He said. The tall girl came over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"It wasn't your fault, Black Star. I'm sure he'll be fine." she reassured him. The boy grinned a bit.

"Thanks, Tsubaki." He answered quietly, regret coating his voice. They started to walk back to the courts, but one girl remained.

"Maka? You coming?" The boy with white hair called. "Maka?" He beckoned, and the girl snapped out of her daze.

"Oh...sorry Soul. I'm coming." Maka called back, walking towards him.

"You ok?" He asked.

"I'm fine, I just thought..." She started, and then trailed off. He gave her a quizzical look, but she waved her hand. "Never mind, it's nothing." She mumbled, and Soul shrugged.

_I could've sworn I saw gold eyes. _She thought to herself, but then shook the thought off. _It couldn't be Kid…_

Meanwhile, Kid had made it back home, his vision blurry from blood loss. Taking deep breaths, he sat down and held his head in his hands. "You're fine, you're fine." He whispered to himself. His healing started to kick in, and he felt the wound closing. He knew it would leave a nasty scar, though.

"Dang, I can't wrap this arm without wrapping the other one, it would be so asymmetrical!" He grumbled, and decided just to leave it. The mirror rang, but he ignored it. He didn't want to talk to his father at the moment. Walking slowly upstairs, he suddenly felt tired. He crawled into his bed and fell fast asleep.

**I was going to delete this chapter, I didn't really like how it came out. But I'll put it up there anyways. Black Star had no intention of hurting Kid, he's not like that. He just claims to know everyone and when a new face pops up he's determined to know who it is.  
><strong>


	10. Chapter 10: A New Mission

The next couple of weeks passed without much excitement and no sign of Maka. On a peaceful Friday morning, Kid's routine was interrupted by a mirror call. He reluctantly answered.

"Kiddo-kun. You haven't been answering my calls, you had me worried." Shinigami popped onto the screen, scolding him. "Why is that?" Kid shrugged, and Shinigami eyed him suspiciously.

"Where'd you get that scar from?" Shinigami asked, concern in his voice. Kid groaned, forgetting that he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt. "Did you get into a fight?!"

"Uhm. Not exactly." Kid said, flustered.

"Did you start a fight?" Shinigami questioned.

"I didn't start it. I finished it." Kid answered shortly. Shinigami threw up his large, white-gloved hands in distress.

"Kiddddddd..." He started in a warning tone. "Can you please stay out of trouble?" He pleaded. "I guess it's partly my fault, I haven't been assigning you enough missions." Kid wanted to say, 'Heck yes it's your fault,' but he didn't.

"Chichiue, I don't want to go on anther boring mission!" Kid exclaimed, huffing. Shinigami chuckled.

"I'm sending you over a partner right now." He explained, and the call ended. Kid wanted to shout in frustration, but a knock at the door interrupted him. He straightened his black tie and walked stiffly towards the door. He opened the door, and then quickly slammed it.

"**CHICHIUE!**" He yelled to no one in particular. "I am **NOT** doing this." Outside stood Spirit the Death Scythe. It wasn't that Kid didn't like Spirit, He didn't really mind him. But at times, he would rather stab himself multiple times than listen to Spirit talk. He reluctantly opened the door, and Spirit burst in.

"Heyo, Kid!" He yelled, and wrapped his arm around his neck, rubbing his head with his fist.

"Stop. Please. I command you. Now would be nice." Kid muttered, jerking away from his grasp. He tried put his hair down, but it still shot up. Spirit smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry. Anyways, ready to take on this mission?" Spirit asked, suddenly producing a bottle of bear from under his coat.

"Nope. Nope. Nope. Not doing it." Kid said under his breath. He gave a short sigh, and then mustered up a slight smile. "Of course, let's get started." Spirit nodded.

"Now, where are we going anyways?" Spirit asked.

"I suppose my father didn't bother to tell you. Of course." Kid commented. "Anyways, we're being sent to investigate an outbreak of violence in a town a few hours away. Apparently, strong wavelengths were felt from there, possibly from a witch." Spirit raised his eyebrow, but stayed silent. "My father already sent a team out there, but they ran into some difficulties. Only a few were able to continue. We must go in and end this." Kid declared.

"Any idea of how to get there?" Spirit questioned, and Kid nodded. He stretched his palm out, and black and purple stuff materialized around it. He concentrated, and a skateboard came out. It clattered to the floor, and Kid flipped it up so he could catch it. Spirit nodded in approval, and Kid jumped on. The wheels folded, and power shot out. Kid was now floating in the air, flying. He reached his hand out and helped Spirit up.

"Is his safe?" Spirit asked, frowning.

"Uhm, it depends on how you look at it." Kid said lightly, and they flew off. Soaring high into the sky, Kid relaxed a bit, and they were on their way to the town.

**(Earlier.)**

"You sure this is a good idea, Lord Death?" The professor asked, pushing his glasses up onto his scarred face.

"Of course!" Shinigami answered, clapping his hands together.

"Spirit and I could've just gone. Might've been safer." The professor commented, swirling around on his swivel chair.

"True. But, Stein, you must remember that this school must make an image for itself. Sending only one meister out to do every job is sending the message that you're our only good meister, which is not true. This new rising generation will be a powerful one, I can sense it."

"But sending out your son, isn't that a little...risky?" Stein asked, shifting uncomfortably.

"I know. It is, you're right. But I must prepare him for larger challenges to come."

"Is he right for this job?" Stein questioned, gesturing around the Death room, where Shinigami stayed.

"With training he will be. Even though I'm a bit concerned with his obsession with symmetry, he'll make it." Shinigami declared.

"How did that obsession come about anyways?" Shinigami shrugged.

"He strives to be perfect. Apparently, the perfect balance is related to symmetry. He says everything has to be the same on both sides in order to be perfect."

"Cute son you got there." Stein said, chuckling. Shinigami nodded. "It's time to see what he's got."

Meanwhile, Kid and Spirit were nearing the town. Kid veered to the left, and landed behind a few buildings. Spirit looked at him for an explanation.

"I don't want everyone to know we've arrived." Kid said, walking down the back street. "It's a bit..."

"Calm?" Spirit finished, and Kid nodded his appreciation.

"Yeah. For a town that's had repeated outbreaks of violence, they seemed to have calmed down quite a lot." Kid observed.

"Or maybe it's the calm before the storm." Spirit pointed out quietly, and Kid stayed silent. He paused, and closed his eyes. After a moment or two, he opened them.

"I felt it." He said quietly. "The wavelength. It's strong alright, and it's close as well." Spirit looked around.

"Then we should be on our guard." He said, and Kid smirked.

"Of course." He said simply, and walked into the market place of the town.

**Who's gonna be there? Mueheuhe… **


	11. Chapter 11: The Voice in My Head

"Uh, Kid, you said you didn't want everyone to know we arrived. Walking straight into town isn't going to help." Spirit pointed out, and Kid gave him a side long glance.

"There's no one around to know we arrived, apparently." They strolled into the open space, with stores on either side. There really was no one around, only a few people who kept their eyes down and paid no attention to the newcomers. Kid acted like he was looking at the various stores and their carts, but his watchful eyes were scanning every alleyway, every nook and cranny. His outward appearance showed someone who was uninterested, only here to survey the town.

The town was small, and nothing flashy. It had small, one-story houses with the occasional two-story. Cobbled stone streets ran everywhere, and cracked sidewalks provided walkways. The stores weren't flashy, either, they only featured items one would need and not items one would want. Fresh produce carts stood outside, with only a few people looking at the selections. Kid knew even in a small town like this, someone such as himself would be recognized. His three white stripes were like flashing signs, and he was the only one who walked around in his fancy suit. He had removed his two skull rings, for they had his father's symbol on them. No need to attract unwanted attention. Instead, he had dressed in casual wear, a long cloak draped over his head and shoulders. Those were common in the dry, desert-like lands.

Kid walked towards a taller, larger building than most. A sign that said 'inn' hung above the doorway, flapping around in the dry wind. Kid and Spirit stepped inside, and Kid walked towards the large desk that faced the doorway. A smaller, darker colored man stood behind it. He brushed his dark hair back and smoothed his Hawaii, flower patterned-shirt and looked cautiously at Kid.

"May we have a room for the night, please?" Kid asked, slapping money down on the counter. The man nodded.

"You from around here?" He questioned, and Kid grinned. This man was talkative.

"Just visiting." Kid said vaguely. "Anything interesting around here?"

"We've got some lovely hot spring if you'd like to visit them." The man said excitedly. Kid shrugged. "This inn is one of the best, I'm sure you'll find your rooms comfortable enough. When you've rested, there's a nice coffee shop down the street."

"Not really many people around here. Such a shame, you've got a nice inn." Kid commented. "Do people not visit this time of year?" The man blushed in pride at Kid's comment. Then he shifted a bit, and leaned in closer.

"Nah, usually we have quite the crowd." He licked his lips nervously. "But, there's been some incidents. I'm sure you've heard about it." Kid pretended to be confused, and raised his eyebrow.

"'Incidents'? I haven't heard. What kind?" He asked innocently. The man smirked.

"Some people say there's been...'magic' involved." The man explained, a gleam of enchantment in

His eyes. Kid pretended to be shocked, his eyes widening.

"M-Magic?" He gasped. "But, that's impossible! Surely not here?" He played. The man nodded rapidly. "Have you ever seen one of these, 'incidents'?" The man shook his head to Kid's dismay.

"I haven't. But my buddy has. Described it to me, all the details." Kid nodded encouragement, and the man continued. "He said one night, he was walking' home. Alone. When suddenly, he heard these shouts, and then an explosion. He saw a house on the edge of town he blown to smithereens. He went closer, and swore he saw a figure flying away. There weren't any survivors found." Kid shook his head in mock disbelief.

"Impossible...But, are you sure it was magic?" Kid questioned. The man nodded.

"I was skeptical. But then, it began happening more often. People began disappearing, more destruction happening. My man said that he heard people talking about these blue glowing orbs popping up around the scene where it happened, and then vanishing into thin air. Like they'd been snatched out of nowhere!" The man exclaimed. Kid felt a small hint of real alarm and disbelief.

"Incredible! When was the last time it happened?" Kid inquired.

"Two days or so. They seem to happen every week." The man shivered. "Listen, you seem like a good kid. Stay away from any mysterious people, and take care of your old man." He asked, gesturing to Spirit, who frowned. Kid nodded, acting scared.

"Oh I will! Tell me again, where has it been happening? I'd like to stay away from it as much as possible!" Kid declared.

"Mostly on the outskirts of town. Strangely, it only hits one or two houses each time. No survivors are ever found." The man said, and Kid shuddered.

"Thanks, I'll make sure to stay away. Wouldn't want to get caught in that!" He excused himself, and him and Spirit walked up the stairs. Spirit started laughing once they got inside the room.

"Well, aren't you a good actor?" Spirit exclaimed. "But, that's impossible! Surely not here?" Spirit mimicked, talking in a little kid's scared voice. Kid frowned.

"Whatever, 'old man'! I don't sound like that anyways! I'm not a child!" Kid defended, and his voice squeaked. Spirit laughed again, and Kid fumed.

"You still are little," Spirit pointed out, "And it's my job to watch you. So don't investigating on your own."

"Hey, do you know what happened to the other team that was sent here?" Kid asked, and Spirit frowned. His voice was coated with sadness.

"I'm not sure. We have to find them. My Maka was with them." Spirit admitted, and Kid gasped a bit. Maka? But it had been so long since then...Suddenly, the mission became even more crucial to complete.

"I have an idea of what's happening." Kid said softly. Spirit looked at him with a questioning gaze.

"They said those glowing orbs vanished? They must be souls. Someone with lots of power is collecting them. The reason they're only hitting a few houses? They can't consume that many souls."

"I don't think this is any Afreet, Kid." Spirit said.

"I know. An Afreet wouldn't think strategically. Whoever our opponent is, they've got a plan." Kid commented.

"So why are collecting these souls?" Spirit asked. Kid's eyes narrowed.

"I'm not sure. Well have to investigate tomorrow." He instructed. Spirit nodded, and San, down into one of the soft beds.

"I'm beat, man." He said with a yawn. Kid took his cloak and hood off, agreeing. He opened another door, and with a wave, disappeared into his room. He took a shower, changed, and then sat down on the edge of the bed.

With a yawn, he stared out the window. He had a hard time falling asleep every night, mostly because Reaper's sleep was plagued with nightmares. Ignoring the protest of his tired body, he stayed up.

But eventually, his tired mind took over, and he drifted into a deep sleep.

_"Death the Kid, is it?" A voice slurred. "Hmm, you don't look like you'll be especially tough."_

_Kid's eyes snapped open, and he found himself standing in a dark field._

_"You're really Shinigami-sama's son? He didn't tell me he had another one." The voice commented with a giggle._

_"Another one?" Kid asked, confused. "Who are you? How do you know my father?"_

_"I've known your father for quite a while. He doesn't really know me, but he has met my sister quite a few times." The voice informed, laughing again._

_"You didn't answer my questions." Kid said, anger flashing in his eyes. For some reason, talking to this person irritated him. "I didn't ask about your sister, whoever she is." The voice sighed dramatically._

_"Why are you here, Death the Kid? You have no business here. If you don't leave, I'll have to resort to the same measures I did for that other pesky team." The voice chided. Kid's fists curled._

_"What. Did. You. Do. To. Them." He spat through gritted teeth. "Where's Maka?" The voice chuckled._

_"Hmm? I don't know whom you're talking about. I messed with the only team I saw here. There's more, you're saying? Maybe I should pay them a visit..."_

_"No! Don't you dare!" Kid shouted._

_"I like you, you really are just like your father. I'll have to pay you a visit sometime as well. But I'm afraid that time has not come. Until later, Death the Kid."_ The voice sang, and Kid woke with a start.

* * *

><p><strong>Hullo hullo. I'm sorry I haven't been updating much, getting a lot of writer's blocks these days...ugh... I keep ending the chapters with a bunch of unanswered questions because I'm just that awesome (or lazy). I hope to keep all of you guys interested with this story because in all honesty, at some parts it's pretty boring, I know. <strong>

**Thanks for all the lovely reviews and support, it means a lot~! **

**Maybe I'll even get another chapter up this week ;)**

**-Shay**


	12. Chapter 12: Snakey Success

**Oooh this chapter is longer than usual! I'll try and make them more lengthy if you'd like. **

* * *

><p>"Morning', Kid." A Spirit greeted him in the small kitchen. Kid mumbled a reply. "Looks like you'll need some coffee." Spirit chuckled. He handed him a mug, but Kid refused.<p>

"Doesn't do the same things it does to humans..." Kid explained, ignoring Spirit's 'very convincing' pouty stare. "Won't give me energy." Spirit shrugged and drank the rest of the coffee, glancing at Kid. He frowned at the boy's dark circles under his eyes. _He's barely 12! Shouldn't have to worry about all of this._ Spirit thought to himself.

After they had eaten breakfast and gotten ready for the day, Kid ushered Spirit downstairs to talk to the man at the desk again. Unfortunately, he was on break.

"Dang. Just missed him." Kid muttered. "Well, we can still go investigate." He put on his cloak, making sure it concealed his face in shadows. They stepped outside, taking in the dry air once again. They walked towards the outskirts of town, where the attacks had happened.

Kid and Spirit surveyed the burnt houses, looking for any signs of recognizable attack styles.

To their dismay and frustration, there was nothing to be found.

"Nothing..." Spirit observed. Kid shrugged, and started walking back to the town.

"Didn't really think we'd find much, anyways. We'll just have to wait until tonight." He instructed.

"Wait, what's tonight?" Spirit asked.

"Their next move. If we don't catch them here, I have a feeling we won't catch them for a while." Kid said, putting his hood back up. They were nearing the town. They stayed in the less crowded parts, keeping their heads down and walking to their destination. A familiar laugh drifted through the air, and a bell rang inside Kid's head.

"Maka?" He whispered inwardly, and grabbed Spirit. They hid behind a corner, and Kid peeked out. It was Maka, and her partner, Soul. They stood near a fresh fruits cart, talking and laughing. Spirit's eyes lit up when he saw his daughter, and he started to leap forward.

"My dearest MAK-" He started, but Kid yanked him back with a warning glint in his eyes.

"Hold on, Spirit," he whispered, "We can't let them know we're here." Spirit stared at him with puppy dog eyes.

"But...my Maka..." He whimpered.

"If they know we're here, we'll endanger them. Most likely, our opponent doesn't know that Maka and her partner are here. They probably don't know we're here, either. Don't blow our cover." Kid explained, keeping his voice low. Spirit's eyes became determined, and he nodded. Kid also didn't want to confront Maka after all this time apart. The slowly sank around the other way, making it safely to the hotel they had stayed at. They stayed in there until dusk rolled around. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and an eerie fog crept in.

"You ready, Kid?" Spirit questioned, and he saw a flash of annoyance in his eyes.

"Yes. I'm not new to this, Spirit." Kid informed, and Spirit gave a small grin.

"I know. But this time may be different, Kid." Spirit said. Kid threw his hood and cloak on.

"Yeah." Kid said simply. They walked outside, their shoes crunching on the loose gravel. Silently, they strolled through the streets. Spirit stared in front of him, trying to keep Kid in view. It was hard; Kid kept merging with the shadows until he was barely visible. Suddenly, a large explosion jerked them out of their thoughts. They began to run towards the source, not bothering to stay hidden.

**(Maka's Point Of View)**

Soul and I walked towards the town after going to investigate the site where the accidents had happened. Night was beginning to fall, and I wanted to make it back to the small house we had rented before a storm rolled in. Soul, of course, was taking his time and strolling leisurely though the streets. He caught me staring at him with what probably looked like an, 'Are you serious?' glare. He flashed his famous sharp-toothed grin, and I grinned back.

At first, I thought having Soul as my partner would be awkward, uncomfortable. We just seemed like we had nothing in common. We really didn't, but hey, opposites attract. We've been partners for a while now, and not only will I call him an awesome weapon, I'll call him my best friend. Maybe even more?

"Come on, Soul, we've got to get back." I urged, and he rolled his eyes playfully.

"Scared, Maka? That's so un-cool." He smirked. I frowned. I was about to 'Maka Chop' him so hard to the next city, but creepy laughter stopped me. We locked eyes, and Soul transformed into his weapon, a wicked red and black scythe. The laughter continued, and I saw a dark figure standing on the roof.

"Who are you?" I yelled. The figure's shoulders shook, and creepy laughter followed.

"Haven't you hear about me? I was sure everyone in this town had." The oddly melodious voice sang. "Guess I haven't been making enough of an image for myself." The voice sighed, pointing a hand at a building, and I watched it explode. I jumped to the side, avoiding any flying debrief. I heard screams from the house, and my heart clinched.

"Those are innocent people! What are you doing?" I shouted, feeling rage bubbling up. I tightened my grip on Soul. The figure just laughed, and I saw glowing orbs float up. "You killed them!" The figure reached a hand out, fondling the orb. The figure tucked it, along with 3 others, into a small, black bag.

"You can't take those! Those aren't yours!" I cried, and the figure just laughed.

"These aren't for me, silly child. I'll be going now, I have no time for you." The figure laughed, obviously a female, and began to run on the rooftops. _Oh no you don't! _I thought, and began to run after her. I ran as fast as I could, desperately trying to close the gap between us. My hopes soared as I realized we weren't too far away. Suddenly, I saw the figure stumble. Knowing this was my chance; I gave an extra burst of speed. The figure spun around, muttered a few words, and shot some black things at me. My momentum carried me forward, and I sliced through the black things, which appeared to be arrows. I cut more and more, slicing with more intensity. Soul's movements and mine were becoming one, flowing smoothly without fault. The figure was loosing ground, unable to counter my attacks. The figure turned and began to run again.

"SOUL RESONANCE!" I yelled, and I felt my soul swelling up. It was a weird feeling, but also a good one. I could feel my power rising, and I felt Soul's rising as well. I began to glow a light blue, and I watched with a smile as Soul's blade curved all the way around, almost touching at the ends, forming in the shape of an almost full moon. A crescent moon. I took a deep breath, gripped the handle, and brought Soul above my head.

"WITCH HUNTER!" I screamed, and brought Soul down. He connected with the roof, and I watched in satisfaction as blue energy coursed through the other roofs. The figure shielded herself as the energy slammed into her. A loud explosion occurred, causing Soul and I to slide backwards a few feet. I wiped the sweat off my forehead. "Soul, you realize what we just did?" I breathed quietly. I heard him chuckle.

"You mean we preformed Soul Resonance without killing ourselves and totally screwing everything up? Yeah, I know what we just did." I smiled, and we began to walk towards the edge of the roof. I hopped down to the ground, scanning for any sign of the figure. My breath caught in my throat as I realized the laughter from before.

"She's not dead?" Soul asked, annoyance and awe in his voice. I shook my head, gripping the handle tightly. Something glowed beneath my feet, and I flew forward with a jolt. I crashed into the ground, rolling to a stop.

"What was that? Maka, you ok?" Soul shouted. I nodded, wincing at the pain in my shoulder. I stood up, looking around once more.

"It was an arrow. This person has some sort of direction magic." I observed, remembering the arrows that had moved out of the way and came back to aim for us again. The voice chuckled.

"Vector Arrows, to be exact." It informed us, as if we needed any clarity. "It can change the direction your moving, boost your speed, and dodge attacks...anything, really." Another one materialized underneath my feet, and threw me forward once again. Another one was waiting for me when I landed, and I was thrown again. One more slammed into my side, causing me to stumble. I had no balance. I couldn't wield Soul. My attacks were clumsy, and I couldn't defend. More arrows threw me, and I slammed into the side of a house, causing it to collapse. With a groan, I pried wood and rubble off of me. I tried to stand, but an arrow wrapped around my stomach and arms, pinning me down. I tried to reach for Soul's handle, but an arrow snatched him up. I heard him cry out in pain.

"Soul!" I yelled in distress. It took special magic to be able to injure a person in their weapon form. I tried to squirm out of the arrows grasp, but I was thrown into another wall. My head hit, hard, and black spots danced in my vision. With a gasp of pain, I tried to stand. The arrows had me pinned again.

"What a shame. You were quite the fighter, weren't you? But your fight ends here." The voice cooed, walking forward. Her bare feet glided over the patent easily, gracefully. She blended in with the darkness around her, and I tried to get free. She stood not too far away. Another arrow rose up, making its way towards me. I braced myself for the impact, but it didn't come.

* * *

><p>I squinted, and saw a figure standing in its path. I gasped. The figure's cloak blew in the wind, and a hood stayed fitted onto the figure's head. The figure was wielding a deadly looking silver scythe that somehow looked familiar. The figure spun it around, cutting any arrows in his path. He ran towards the woman, avoiding any attacks. It was beautiful, I thought to myself. Like dancing. They were perfectly in sync.<p>

**(Narrator/Third Person POV)**

Kid and Spirit had run towards the explosions, watching the whole scenes unfurl before their eyes. Kid acted quickly, wielding Spirit and jumping in front of Maka, cutting the arrow away. He sprang forward, swinging Spirit in a deadly arch. He sliced through the other woman's defense, and pressed on. The woman danced around his attacks, and they collided many times. The clash of metal rang through the air. Kid and Spirit's movements were fluid, easy motions. Overhead cut followed by an underhand swing, a slash at the right side and a cut at the left. Roll to the side, dodge a flurry of arrows, and hit the woman in the stomach with the end of the scythe.

Kid repeated the motions in his head. He watched the woman fly back, hitting the ground painfully. She struggled to get up, and by the time she did, Kid was upon her with expert kicks and punches. He hit her again with the blunt edge of the scythe, and she stumbled backwards. She cursed, and sprang up onto a roof. Kid started to follow, but and arrow appeared under his feet, and reversed his course, throwing him backwards.

"Seems...I...underestimated you." She grunted, and Kid's head snapped up. It was the voice, the one from his dream. Spirit felt Kid's pulse grow, and his hands tightened. "You did well so far, but let's see how you handle this next attack." Kid and Spirit tensed, and they saw the woman move her arms in front of her in a weird, wave-like pattern.

_"Nake snake...cobra cobra."_ She hissed, and repeated it. Something seemed to slither off her arm, and Kid realized it was one of her snake tattoos running around her shoulder to her hand. The snake, which was at least the size of a large building and made up of black dots, darted towards them. It moved so fast, Kid barely had enough time to block. The force blew him back, and he scrambled to regain his footing. An arrow appeared underneath his feet, and he has shot towards the snake, which threw him against a wall. Kid landed with a painful thud. He scrambled up once more, but he was too late. An attack of arrows shoved him forward, and Spirit flew out of his hand. Kid cursed himself, and he rolled out of the snake's path. The snake darted after him, and opened its mouth to bite him. He gave a strangled cry of surprise, and grabbed the fangs to stop them from crashing down. He was prying the snake's mouth open. His muscles strained, and he trembled under the weight. With a shove, he managed to dive out of the way. He ran, scooped up Spirit, and blocked the snake's deadly fangs. He was breathing hard, and his arm hurt from prying the mouth open.

"Spirit. Ready?" Kid asked quietly. He let his body go slack, and his arms hung to his side, limp. He heard Maka's voice cry out a warning.

"Surrendering? Good choice." The figure asked with a chuckle. The snake dived towards him, along with a storm of arrows. Kid waited until the very last minute, then his head jerked up.

"SOUL RESONANCE!" He yelled, and Spirit changed in a flash. Maka gasped.

"How did they do the transformation so quickly?" She said to herself, awestruck. Spirit was not curved, but turned almost into a rectangle, with one side missing, and one side bent in. The edges gleamed, and Kid swung him, putting all his strength behind it. It sliced through the snake like butter, and it destroyed the arrows. A bright flash followed, and the attacks were gone.

"What?" The woman yelled in rage, and then calmed herself. "I have underestimated you. Don't worry, we'll meet again." She hissed, and then vanished into the night. Kid stumbled forward, but then fell to one knee, exhausted. Spirit transformed into his human form, holding Kid up.

"Don't go after her. She's gone now." Spirit said quietly, and Kid slammed his fist into the ground in frustration. Spirit helped him stand, glancing at his daughter, who was now checking if her partner was alright. He started towards her, but Kid was already limping off, thinking, _how can I possibly face her after a defeat like that? _Spirit reluctantly followed.

"Who was that?" Soul asked, and Maka frowned slightly.

"The scythe was my father." She answered, and Soul's eyes widened.

"He's a scythe like me? Cool."

"Not any scythe, he's a Death Scythe." She corrected, and Soul grinned.

"Even cooler."

"Yeah, but only trained meisters and Lord Death can wield a Death Scythe." Maka said. "I know that wasn't Lord Death or Stein. So who?" She wondered. Soul shrugged.

"They're gone now." He observed, and Maka's head shot up.

"Wait! They saved our lives! We didn't get to thank them..." she trailed off as Soul put a hand on her shoulder.

"I say we focus in getting back to the town. We've both had a rough night." Soul suggested, and Maka nodded reluctantly. He held out his hand, and Maka accepted it as he pulled her from the ground. She brushed herself off, still mystified about who had just saved her partner and her own life. They reached their apartment with no other conflicts, except for Soul tripping over a lose piece of pavement and falling flat on his face, and settled into their own beds.

"Hey, Maka," Soul said, "are you awake?" He heard Maka groan from the other side of the room.

"No."

"Oh, uh, okay."

"Kidding, what do you want?" Maka asked. Soul paused, debating on what he was going to tell her. _I'm sorry I couldn't protect you today. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough. I'm sorry that we had to rely on some random meister. _Soul wanted to say everything on his mind, but the tone of Maka's voice stopped him.

"It's nothing," he lied, and Maka sighed.

"Then go to sleep you big oaf." And so he did.

* * *

><p><strong>Hullo, hullo. Thanks for all the lovely reviews, it makes my day :) I liked this chapter except I felt it was a little rushed, and I'm so sorry if the characters are OOC. I found that it's hard writing in first person POV so I won't be doing it very often.<br>**

**Anywayyys...If you guys have any idea for plot events let me know! I love hearing your ideas.  
><strong>

**One last thing, if I were to add romance in this what ships would you enjoy? It would be mostly centered around Kid, so would you prefer:  
><strong>

**KidxLiz, KidxMaka, or KidxCrona? PLEASE VOTE or else I won't know what to do! (The romance would come in later chapters, so you'd only receive hints at the moment)**

**-Shay**


	13. Chapter 13: My Kind of Weapon!

The next day.

A tired, grouchy, and young shinigami soared over the city below on his skateboard. He carried a 6-foot complaining Death Scythe, who would not shut up.

"But why can't we stop for food, I'm hungry!" Spirit whined.

"_Because _we're going back to report to my father. For the last time, Spirit, we will get fed there." Kid hissed, and Spirit continued to complain.

"Look, there goes one of the best restaurants in town," Spirit said, "and look, a coffee shop." Kid let out a sigh of frustration.

"Spirit—"

"They're having a sale on pastries! Pastries, Kid!" He yelled.

"If you want them so bad, go get them," and with that, he threw the Death Scythe and continued to ride on his board.

"AIEEEEEEEEE!" Spirit shrieked, plummeting down. Kid rolled his eyes, swopped down in and caught the struggling Death Scythe.

"Now, any more problems?" Kid asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"N-No," Spirit whimpered, "but why couldn't we see Maka?" Kid froze.

"Because we couldn't, Spirit." He said simply.

"But I love my Maka!" He whined, and Kid had the urge to drop him again. "I'm just doing what any father would do, worrying about their child!"

"Oh, really? Tell that to my father. He could learn a few lessons from you." Kid said, his voice dripping in sarcasm. Spirit stopped blabbering after that.

They arrived at the D.W.M.A shortly, and Kid hopped off. Spirit turned into his human form, and stretched while making baby dinosaur noises. He attempted to make small talk and lame jokes to lighten the mood, but Kid just stalked on ahead towards his father's room. He burst through the doors, and marched right up to the small platform containing a large mirror and Lord Death.

"Hi, hey, hello!" Lord Death sang, and Kid's eye twitched. "Oh, it's you, Kiddo-kun!"

"Yes, Chichiue, it's me."

"Kiddo-kun, I want to say I'm very glad you're back. That witch was far more powerful than we anticipated!"

"I let her get away, Chichiue!" Kid suddenly yelled, and tension weighed heavily in the air.

"Well, yes, but she was a powerful opponent, and it doesn't matter." Lord Death stammered, confused. Kid hung his head in shame.

"I thought…I thought you'd be mad," Kid said timidly, "I let the witch get away."

"The important thing is that you're here, and you're safe." Lord Death said cheerfully.

"One more thing, Chichiue. When are you coming home?" He asked, avoiding his father's mask-eyes.

"I'll be home soon, Kiddo, I promise." He declared.

"Promise is a strong word, Chichiue." Kid commented quietly before walking out of the room. Shinigami-sama sighed and turned towards Spirit.

"Spirito-kun, thank you for bringing Kid back safely."

"No problem, he fights well." Spirit answered with a cheesy grin.

"Cause', you know, if anything would've happened to him, I would have killed you!" He sang with an oddly cheery voice. Spirit gulped. "Just kidding." Spirit managed a nervous laugh, but something told him Lord Death wasn't really kidding.

He exited the room to find Kid looking out over the city from a balcony. Deciding not to disturb the thoughtful boy, Spirit snuck away quietly.

_"I've known your father for quite a while. He doesn't really know me, but he has met my sister quite a few times."_ Kid shuddered, thinking of that woman's voice that had come to him in a dream. It wasn't a coincidence that he had met her the next day. She new who he was, and also who his father was. It definitely made him feel uneasy, but he brushed it off and returned to his home.

* * *

><p>(<em>AN: Nothing really exciting happened between then and now, just a couple of missions and Stein wanting to dissect everything in his path) _

A year later . . .

"Who could be calling at this hour?" Kid grumbled, falling out of bed and then clumsily running down the stairs to answer the mirror. He glanced that the time, which read 5:37. "It's not eight yet. It's five. Five in the morning. Why?" He asked himself.

"Hi, Kiddo-kun!" A voice answered, and Kid groaned.

"What, Chichiue," he answered with a raspy voice.

"I have a mission for you! Meet me in the school." Shinigami-sama instructed, and then abruptly ended the call.

"This had better be one heck of a mission." Kid muttered before stumbling out the door.

In ten minutes, he arrived at the school and rushed into his father's office.

"What is the mission, Chichiue?"

"Let me tell you. . ."

* * *

><p>The heel of tall, black boots clicked on the pavement as a figure advanced from the shadows that lined the dark alleyway. Dirty blonde hair swished from side to side as the figure walked toward a man. The man, who was overweight and wearing a rather expensive suit, cowered against the wall, clutching his briefcase.<p>

"W-What do you want?" He asked, his voice shaking. Laughter floated from the figure, as she stepped into view. Cold, unforgiving blue eyes stared into his as she leaned in close to his face. A piece of straw, or some grass-like material hung from her mouth, and her breath smelled of mint. She turned and spat on the ground.

"Money. Cough it up, all of it, and we may just let you live," the girl chuckled. The man observed the figure in front of him. A black tee shirt hung loosely on the girl's shoulders, and dark, baggy jeans sagged on her hips. Black boots climbed their way up her slender legs, stopping just below the knee. She didn't look like much of a threat.

"Why would I do that?" The man asked, trying to regain confidence.

"Patty," she called, and another figure stepped in to view, "care to demonstrate?" The figure nodded, causing her short, messy blonde hair to bounce up and down. A pink tank top clung to her thin figure, and gray sweatpants covered part of her black shoes. She was shorter than the other girl.

"Sure thing, sis." Patty answered with an almost demonic grin. In a flash, she transformed into a sleek, gray and black Beretta 92FS, which the taller sister caught easily in her hand.

"I guess you don't know who we are," she prompted, and the man shook his head, "we're the Thompson sisters. Yah know, the Devils of Brooklyn?" She jested, and the man's eyes widened.

"Y-You've got to be kidding me," he whispered in fear, "here! Take my money, just please don't hurt me!" He begged, and the taller figure smirked, twirling the pistol around for effect. She snatched the wallet, and gestured towards his wrist.

"Your watch, too," she smirked. He forked it over quickly.

"C-Can I go now?" He pleaded.

"Your phone."

"Of course…" he muttered, and she threw it on the ground.

"Now go." She demanded, prodding the gun against his side. He scrambled up, running quickly.

"Nice, sis!" Patty laughed, transforming back into her human form. Her sister, Liz, returned the smile. She ruffled through the contents of the wallet.

"Not as much as I'd thought it'd get us. This'll only get us a couple'a days," Liz observed with a frown, "one more should work." As if the heavens had heard her, a young man was walking down the alleys, not too far away. He was dressed in a pristine suit; hands shoved in his pockets, expensive shoes clacking on the pavement. A ring glistened from each hand, but Liz couldn't make out the design. She wouldn't have been able to detect him if it weren't for his pale, flawless skin. She smirked, brushing her hair back from her shoulder. This guy was practically begging to be robbed. You don't walk down in these parts with that kind of clothing. They approached him, heads down. When he drew near enough, Liz grabbed a fistful of his suit and slammed him against the wall. Patty transformed once again and fitted perfectly into her sister's hand.

"Give us your money, now." She commanded in a sharp voice. She eyed this…boy carefully. He didn't seem scared senseless like all the grown men they had robbed. In fact, he didn't look concerned in the slightest. His raven colored hair fell into his eyes just slightly, and a smile played upon his lips.

"You two look familiar," he said, his voice ringing clearly with no signs of nervousness, "have I seen you before?" Liz's gaze faltered, blue being swallowed by piercing golden orbs.

"We ask the questions, we give the commands. Fork it all up." She demanded, and Patty's laughter crackled through the air.

"That's a nice pistol. A Beretta 92FS, I'm presuming?" He said once again.

"I said, give us your money!"

"Can you also turn into a weapon of that nature? Same model, size, color and such?" He asked. Liz hesitated.

"Yeah, what's it to you?" She scoffed.

"So, you two are perfectly…symmetrical?" Liz swore she saw the guy's eyes light up in admiration.

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Give us your stuff," her gaze hardened as she pressed the gun closer, "and we'll let you live."

The guy smirked. He actually smirked! Liz snarled at his easy-going expression.

"I only have this on me at the moment," he offered her a wad of cash. "If you don't mind me, I'll be on my way." He said before maneuvering out of Liz's grasp and walking away.

"H-Hey, I'm not done with you!" She cried out, but he merely waved his hand in farewell before disappearing behind a corner. Patty transformed and the two stood there in silence.

"He was weird. But cool." Patty whispered, a trace of awe in her voice.

"He didn't even look scared," Liz said with a frown, "but this cash will get us far. Let's go, Patty." She said, and the two locked arms before walking away into the darkness.

* * *

><p>Footsteps pounded, echoing through the strained air. The two figures panted, pausing for only a split second before they sprinted down another alleyway.<p>

"Come on, Patty," the dirty blonde cried, gripping her sister's wrist tightly. They spun around a corner and continued to run. More shouts were heard from behind, and they ran faster. Hearts pounding inside their chests, eyes wide with fear. Liz suddenly jerked her sister to the right, fleeing to the only place she could think of. A large, run-down building came into view, and relief washed over her. She ran up to the door, flinging it open. They ran across the cracked floor towards the back, where an escape was located. Maneuvering their way through cluttered isles, they almost got lost. Liz spotted the door, and she pushed against it. She kept pushing, but it wouldn't budge. She flung her shoulder against it, and Patty put in effort as well, but the thing wouldn't move. Liz ran to a boarded up window, hoping the boards had rotted enough to peel off. Her luck ran out after the first board, and she went on to another window. The same result came from it. She was making her way to the next when she heard angry shouts drift through the air. Her heart sunk, and she was chilled to the bone. She quickly motioned for Patty to squat, and they crawled through the isles.

They had been creeping their way towards a door on the side, hoping they could open it. The door came into view, but so did a group of the people that had been following them. They quickly ducked behind some old crates and began to retrace their steps. They were almost there when a rough hand grabbed Liz's arm.

"Patty!" She cried out instinctively, but another hand grabbed her dear sister. They were dragged to a clearing in the front of the building, where a group of men and a couple of women were standing. A quick scan told Liz there were at least twenty of them, and almost all of them were armed. Even with Patty as her weapon, it would be a tough fight.

"Well, look'it who we found. If it ain't the Brooklyn Devils," a man shouted loudly, putting emphasis on the word "Devils". A few gave shouts of encouragement, and he smirked. "We've been lookin' all over for yah. I believe yah have somethin' of ours?"

"Like what?" Liz answered, her voice betraying the nervousness she felt. She was surprised and pleased to hear how confident she sounded.

"The money, hand it over," he ordered, holding his dirty palm out.

"I don't know what you're talkin' about." Liz snarled, and the man's eyes narrowed. Skin hit skin, and Liz's face turned sharply. A small gasp escaped her, and she felt her cheek stinging.

"I think yah know exactly what I mean," he said in a dangerously low tone, "and you'd better give me what I'm lookin' for."

"I said, I don't know." Liz repeated. In fact, she did know. She, along with Patty, had stolen it not too long ago. They'd stolen from this gang multiple times, and now it had caught up to them. They'd spent most of it, and she wasn't about to fork over what was left. They had a reputation, and giving in easily wasn't in the description. The man raised his hand again, and Liz braced herself.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

All heads turned, scanning the room. No one was in sight. A few scratched their heads, while the others gripped their weapons tighter. From out of nowhere, two men suddenly dropped like stones to the cold floor. The others shuffled away quickly, uncertainty flashing in their eyes. Another pair dropped.

"Who's there?" One man shouted, raising his baseball bat in a threatening pose. His eyes bulged, and he too dropped, baseball bat dropping harmlessly at his side. Liz's eyes strained, and she heard a gasp from her sister. She followed her gaze up to the ceiling, to one of the rafters. Three white striped clashed with the darkness behind them, and a long cloak drifted in the breeze from an opened window.

"It's…him." Patty whispered, a grin seeping across her face. To clarify her assumption, the figure dropped to the floor and began attacking the group. Her eyes couldn't follow his attacks, all she saw were people dropping like flies in summer. He slammed his palm into the floor, and a purple and black substance closely resembling shadows shoot across the floor. The people it reached were paralyzed, making them easy targets.

Liz's captor was caught staring, and she elbowed him in his face. With a grunt and a strangled cry, his hand flew to his broken nose. He growled, and ran towards the tall girl. She felt a moment of panic; she didn't think he would let go.

"Lizze!" A shrill voice cried, and Liz turned to see a pistol hurtling towards her. She caught it and fired a round at the man. He dropped, and she turned to fire more. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one thug pull out a gun.

"Look out!" She cried, watching him aim at the cloaked figure. She sucked in a breath as he fired. The cloaked figure whipped around, throwing his arm out. Liz's eyes grew and she heard Patty let out a little gasp ad the bullets literally stopped, as if a force field had appeared. The figure flicked his wrist, and the bullets clattered to the floor, except one. The figure thrust his palm forward, and the bullet reflected back towards the man who had fired it. It struck him in the shoulder, and he cried out, dropping his gun.

Liz shook her head in disbelief, and focused her attention back to the fight. Fortunately, there wasn't much of one. She fired a few more rounds, and then it was over. The figure threw back his hood, admiring his work. Sure enough, it was the boy they had robbed a couple of days ago. His eyes flickered towards the duo, and he approached them. Liz held up her gun, suspicion in her eyes.

"Now, do you really think I'm going to hurt you? If I wanted to, I wouldn't have saved your life." He pointed out, and Liz lowered her gun. Patty transformed back into her human form, her smile leaping of her face.

"Thank you!" She shouted, her blue eyes filled with awe.

"We would've been fine," Liz snorted. A flash of amusement showed in the boy's eyes.

"So, you two are the famous 'Brooklyn Devils'? Elizabeth Thompson and Patricia Thompson?" He asked. Liz was taken back; she hadn't been called by her full name in a while.

"Yeah, and you are?" She asked in an unfriendly tone.

"Kid." He answered, and Patty giggled.

"That's a weird name," Liz observed, and she couldn't help but grin at the way the boy's cheeks flushed.

"Well, my real name is Death the Kid, but I thought that would be too long, and—"

"Wait, _Death_ the Kid?" Liz interrupted him.

"Yes," he answered, eying her with a puzzled expression, "is something wrong? My father named me that."

"And who would your dad be?" Liz asked out of curiosity.

"Lord Death," he answered with no pretense. Liz couldn't help but gawk, and Patty's jaw dropped.

"So…you're Death's…son" Liz clarified, her mind processing the information.

"Yes. I'm a shinigami, to be precise," he answered, like none of these questions fazed him.

"So, we tried to rob a Shinigami?" Liz asked, dumbfounded. He shrugged.

"I'm here to make you a deal, actually. I know your lives have been harsh in these places," he paused, seeing Liz's frowning face, "and I know you'd like the best for your sister. So, I'm offering you two an opportunity to be my weapons." He finished, looking at Liz and seeing the surprise, confusion, and also curiosity swirled in her eyes.

"Why us?"

"Because you're beautiful," he answered, and Liz's brain shut down. He went on rambling about 'symmetry' and 'balance', but she was clinging on to one word.

"Beautiful…" She whispered.

"Yes, you're beautiful, and so is your sister. Coming across weapons like these, I," He explained, "I couldn't let you go." He seemed almost embarrassed, and Liz's cheeks turned red.

"Like heck we're coming with you." She snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. Patty copied her, but her eyes were already saying "yes".

"Then I'll have to take you by force, I'm afraid. You don't have to become my weapons, but you'd still have to come to Death City and stand before my father. Accepting my offer would not only give you a place to stay equipped with all your needs, but it would also clear your criminal record and you would no longer be responsible for your actions." He said.

"It does sound…tempting," Liz admitted reluctantly.

"Can we please, sis? I want a home," Patty pleaded, "and I like Kid, he saved us!"

"Fine. We'll come. But I'm not agreeing to be your weapon, yet. I'm not gonna be your little 'pet', either. Nobody tells me what to do." She exclaimed, and Kid shrugged.

"I'll need you both to transform into weapons, please." Patty giggled and transformed easily, and Kid caught her. Instead of his hand burning, he held her with ease. Liz hated to admit it, but he looked as comfortable with Patty as she did. "Elizabeth?" He asked. Liz frowned.

"I don't want a stranger to use my weapon form." She announced.

"I saved your life. If that's not trustworthy enough, I'll try harder," he remarked, and Patty laughed. Liz rolled her eyes, but transformed anyways. He caught her with as well, but flinched at the burn. He almost dropped the sleek pistol, but with a grimace he held on.

_I'm not playing by your rules that easily, shinigami. _She thought, smirking at his pain. He hopped on a skateboard that Liz had failed to notice, and levitated into the air. They sped away, cruising over cities. Kid and Patty began to chat, and Liz could hear in his voice he was amused by her childish behavior. Liz refused to talk, and eventually fell asleep.

"Elizabeth. Elizabeth?" A voice chorused, and Liz groaned.

"Five more minutes," she pleaded, but the voice continued to talk. With a sigh, she transformed into her human state, stretching out the soreness.

"Right, I'm glad you're awake. We're at my father's school." He informed her. Liz rubbed her eyes and looked up. It was nothing like she'd ever seen before.

"It's so…" She began, but was at a loss for words.

"Symmetrical?" He offered.

"I was gonna say huge, but that works," she replied quietly, as if the school would vanish if she spoke too loud. Patty was bouncing up and down, skipping towards the school. He walked in front of them to show the way, and Liz was left to her own thoughts.

She recalled earlier in the day when he had saved them. When they tried to rob him, he could've easily disarmed her and gotten away, she realized. His fighting level was incredible, and she wondered why he went through such lengths to save them. They walked through the halls, and luckily no one was out. Class must be in session.

"Must be nice going here, Rich Boy," Liz taunted.

"I don't come here. My father arranges my lessons, since the manor in which they are teaching at this school wouldn't be good enough." He led them in silence, pushing open two large, black doors with a skull design. Liz took in the room, which stretched as wide as the eye could see. Clouds floated across the sky blue wall, and there was an oddly placed window here or there. Oddly shaped crosses and sticks were stuck in the ground, creating a forest-type scenario. There was a slightly raised platform, and on it, a single mirror. Besides the ten feet tall Death guy, nothing out of the ordinary.

"Hiya, Kiddo-kun!" The strange 'thing' called, and Liz was surprised when it, err, he, turned. A single, white skull mask was placed in the center of his face, if he had one. Three holes matching the eyes and mouth were placed on the skull, and Liz could only see darkness when she looked into them. His figure was distorted, and where his legs should've been there was a zigzagging line similar to a lightning bolt.

"Oho, I see you've completed your mission!" He chorused as he turned his attention to the two sisters. "You must be the Thompson sisters, ne?" His tone grew more serious, "you've caused lots of trouble, you know?" Liz nodded slowly.

"YOU'RE A DEATH PERSON!" Patty shouted at the top of her lungs. Kid's jaw dropped, and he blinked slowly. His father awkwardly stood, but after a moment of silence he said,

"I am!" Patty laughed, nearing hysteria, and his father proceeded. Kid gave Patty a disapproving glance but said nothing.

"I'm sure my son has proposed an offer?" He asked, receiving another nod, "and what is your answer?"

"We'll take it," she said with a roll of her eyes. Kid nodded swiftly, and ushered them out of the room, like he couldn't stand being in there a second more. Without talking, he led them through the streets of Death City, letting them marvel at the symmetry. Or marvel at the beauty like most non-OCD people would do.

"This is my home, where you'll be staying," he said suddenly, stopping in front of a large mansion. Liz and Patty practically started crying, they couldn't believe they were going to live in something like that. They walked inside, and the taller sister eyed everything suspiciously. It was unnaturally clean, and everything was white, black, gold, or red. There were simple decors, such as plants and paintings.

"For now, I've set up two rooms across from each other on the second floor. My room is at the end of the hall on the same floor if you need me. You may alter the rooms as you'd like," he almost winced as he said it, "and we'll go shopping to meet any other requirements of yours." He eyes their clothing. _Rich judgy boy. We haven't exactly been living under the best conditions. _Patty ran off, exploring anything around the house she found interest in. Kid observed the two, one standing partly away from him with a frown and a bored look on her face with her arms crossed over her chest, the other running around like she had drank twenty cans of Red Bull. Maybe she had—Kid didn't know. He sighed to himself. This may be a little harder than he thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow that was long haha, hope you guys enjoy it! Liz and Patty are here so the story should get interesting...There might be some one-sided KidxLiz just because I'm mean.(As in Liz being the one-sided.)<br>**

**So the votes are in and most people have chosen KidxMaka! When I do add romance (for now you'll have to squint) that will be the pairing and some others, too. **

**Thanks for all the reviews and keep em' coming cause' I love suggestions! **

**Any romance suggestions for Kid and Maka? Not that good at romance writing hehe...**

**Ok bye~**

**-Shay**


	14. Chapter 14: Is It Worth It?

Liz couldn't take it anymore. It was madness living with that brat. Everything she did, literally _everything, _was wrong in his eyes. They couldn't agree on anything. He also had them follow a daily schedule. And he still insisted on calling her "Elizabeth" like some stuck up snob.

"Elizabeth," _No. _She thought, "Kindly turn that down. I'm trying to read." His royal-pain-in-the-butt asked, not looking up from his book. _Why should I listen to you? _She grabbed the remote and turned it up, smirking. His eyes looked up from the book, one eyebrow rising in question, and she didn't return the stare. He shook his head and went back to reading. A commercial with a catchy tune came on, and she began humming. She saw his muscles tighten and his jaw clench. She hummed louder, now mumbling the words.

"Elizabeth." He said, tone sharp.

"What?" She retorted. He gave her a pointed stare.

"You know what." She stopped humming, rolling her eyes. Instead of humming, she pointedly turned up the volume once again. Before he could ask once again, Patty burst in the door. She flew it open so violently, a picture fell from the wall and hit the floor, shattering.

"Patty!" Kid wailed, standing up from the couch in a flash, book thrown down in distress, "look at what you've done! The symmetry is absolutely ruined!"

_Symmetry. Freaking. Symmetry. Of all things, why symmetry? _She thought. She'd dealt with rants already, and knew how fragile this boy was when it came to his beloved symmetry.

"Sorry Kid~!" Patty shouted, and Liz almost had to cover her ears. Kid was still picking up the shattered pieces. "Can you read me a story?" She asked, throwing her arms around his waist when he stood.

"Patricia, I'm busy!" He said, annoyance evident in his voice, "ask Liz to."

"But I want you to!" She complained, "will you do something with me then? I'm bored!" Liz stiffened. Another thing was ever since he came around, Patty devoted all her attention to him. It's not like he took care of her in the streets! It's not like _he _stole money to provide things for her! Liz was practically seething now, while Patty was yelling and Kid was basically in tears because of the picture.

"Elizabeth! Will you please turn that off? Patricia! I'm busy perfecting the symmetry that you ruined!" He ordered, trying to keep his voice calm. Suddenly, Liz stood up.

"WILL YOU SHUT THE HECK UP ABOUT YOUR STUPID SYMMETRY? STOP ORDERING ME AND PATTY AROUND, AND FOR ONCE, BE A NORMAL KID!" She snapped, and both Patty and Kid's eyes grew wide.

"E-Elizabeth?" He ventured.

"Stop calling me that!"

"It's 'Patty and I'," he corrected cautiously, and Liz just stared at him with absolute hatred in her eyes.

"What did you say?" She spat.

"Well, you said, 'me and Patty' when the correct way is, 'Patty and I' so—"

"Just, shut up. I'm done," she said, throwing her hands up, "I'm done. Find yourself another weapon. I can't take it." Kid looked at her, confusion swimming in his eyes.

"But Eliz—"

"I said I'm done." She snarled. Patty stepped towards her, but a glare stopped her in her tracks. Liz stormed out of the house, slamming the door. Kid and Patty winced at the sound. Kid pinched the bridge of his nose with his pointer finger and thumb, his eyes shut tight.

"Patricia, why don't you go get something to eat," he suggested quietly. Patty hesitated before scrambling into the kitchen. Kid sighed, stumped on what to do. He made his decision a little later, as he grabbed his cloak and disappeared out the door.

Liz's shoulders shook, partly from the cold and partly from the muffled sobs that were trying to escape. She didn't know what came over her, but she knew she couldn't go back. She just threw away the only chance she would get at redemption, and now Patty would be without a home once again. She walked slowly, not knowing where she'd end up and not caring. The streets were dark, only lit by a few burning lamps. She heaved a sigh, drowning in a sea of self-pity. It had been a couple of hours since her tantrum and since she busted out of the house she had hoped to call home. Her mind wandered as she recalled the events that led to the fight, playing out the scene once more in her head. She remembered the way he had overreacted at her volume control on the TV, the way he called out her full name in hopes of annoying her, the way he couldn't let her do anything . . .

She stopped walking, and her eyes filled with realization. He hadn't overreacted. He hadn't used her full name only to annoy her. He had let her do many things. Her hands fell limply to her sides, and she couldn't help but give a pitiful laugh. She was the brat; she was the jealous, over reactive, and rude girl. The girl who used her past as an excuse to get what she wanted, she was the problem. She remembered the way Kid's eyes had widened in confusion, the way he looked as if he was in the wrong. Sure, his obsession with symmetry, perfection, and grammar might be annoying, but he had saved her life. He had saved Patty's life as well, and he offered them a deal which they didn't deserve. She spun around quickly, knowing she had to apologize.

The tall girl broke into a run, but was stopped short by something that had grabbed her wrist.

* * *

><p>Liz turned in surprise, her mouth already forming a scream, but the figure threw back that all-too-familiar cloak and she stopped.<p>

"Eliza—Liz, I'm sorry, I," she broke him off.

"No, I'm sorry, kid. I'm the one who's screwing things up. I'm the one who needs to apologize," she saw his eyes widen, "and if you'll give me a second chance, I'd like to make things right."

"Liz, I," He paused, and Liz thought we would decline, "of course I'll give you a chance. Patrici—Patty, needs you. I'll try to make things work as well." He finished with a bashful grin. Liz smiled, and without any words they headed back to where Patty waited.

* * *

><p>The next few days, after they finally agreed on things that wouldn't make the other run out of the house, they decided to try their hand at training. Walking out into the shooting range, next to the weapons training, Liz and Patty transformed and fit snugly into his hand. He held them up, holding them the correct way to hold a gun, and fired at the target. His first rounds were sloppy, he was still getting used to the feel of things.<p>

But Liz and Patty were growing worried at the increasing number of rounds wasted and targets still standing. Kid was growing frustrated as well, and it was disrupting their wavelengths. Eventually, Liz and Patty had to jump out of their forms because of Kid's wavelength.

"Kid, you've got to focus!" She cried, "Remember, we're not like normal weapons. We fire soul energy of our holder." Kid nodded glumly, his face looking defeated. Liz scoffed, while Patty crackled in laughter.

"You really have been able to master practically every weapon?" She asked, and he nodded slowly, still disappointed at his failure.

"We'll continue tomorrow." He said and stalked off. Liz and Patty exchanged a worried glance, although Patty didn't look worried in the slightest.

They decided to try again in the morning. No new results sprung from their second time, and it ended again in failure. Still, Kid was persistent, so the next morning they tried again. He was firing rapidly at the target, only hitting it 6/10 times. With these kinds of weapons and the distance he was at, he should be hitting them 10/10 times. They pushed on

Liz heard a large _crack_ and felt herself fall to the ground suddenly. Patty popped into her human form, and Liz did as well to see Kid clutching his wrist, which was turned at an odd angle.

"I think I broke it," he muttered, and Liz was surprised he wasn't crying on the floor. "It'll heal," he said ruefully, twisting his wrist, "Let's continue."

"Oh no you don't. We're gonna take a break, Kid," she ordered and was met with a glare, "You're hurt. Don't push yourself." He reluctantly sulked back inside; a laughing Patty and a confused Liz trailing close behind. They found him sitting at a counter, pondering over his thoughts.

"The backfire was too much," Liz suggested, "It normally would be on a regular gun, but for us its added force, and you're holding the both of us." Kid nodded.

"So how do I reduce the fire? How do I put less strain on my soul as well?" He asked out loud. Liz stood helplessly, and Patty wasn't exactly helping. He got up and went to the library, but since Liz didn't enjoy reading books and she didn't even know if Patty could read, they stayed.

The next morning, he came down determined, both wrists wrapped.

"I thought you only hurt one wrist?" Liz asked, eying the bandages.

"Well, if I only wrapped one it would be asymmetrical," he explained as they walked outside.

"Of course." Liz muttered, while Patty laughed. He stopped walking, and motioned for them to transform. Liz gave him a look that said, "Don't push yourself," but she didn't know if he got the message. He caught them like he always did, but Liz and Patty yelped as they felt their world being flipped upside down.

"Kid, what the heck?" Liz cried, and Patty giggled.

"We're upside down! We're upside down!" She chanted. Kid ignored them, and instead placed his pinkies on the triggers. "Kid?" Patty asked, not used to the feeling. He held his breath and fired, and fired, and fired.

"It's working!" Liz gasped, observing the targets being shot down one after another. Kid grinned, and began to aim at more targets.

"Are you two ready?" He asked, and Liz scrunched her eyebrows together. Knowing that he couldn't see her face, she replied,

"No, what are you talking about?"

"Just follow my lead," he said, giving her a warm smile that somehow made her blush. Staring ahead at a group of targets, he said, "Soul Resonance." Liz and Patty gasped as they felt their souls swelling, filling with power. They could feel Kid's soul as well as his determination, so they put in their all. On the outside, his wavelength had swelled to the size that it covered them in blue light. Black streams of dark light swirled around him, enclosing them in power. Three black spikes appeared on his upper arms, and Liz and Patty transformed into much larger guns—like cannons. He burst out, ending in a squat on the ground.

"Resonance Stable!" Liz called, and she didn't know why. Information was being fed to her brain, and she felt like she had to share it.

"Feedback in 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . Ready to fire!" Patty shouted, and he aimed the cannons.

"_Death Cannon_." Kid whispered with a cold tone. He fired, and the group of targets exploded in the shape of a skull much like his father's. He stood up and Liz and Patty transformed into their human forms. They all stood, observing the damage.

"Wow." Liz whistled.

"I say that went well," Kid commented, relief washing over his face, "Let's call it a day, then." He suggested, and they walked back inside. Kid almost laughed at the thought of reporting what had happened to his father. Maybe a year ago he would've. Maybe, but not now. Liz shot a questioning glance at the brooding boy, but didn't get an answer in return.


	15. Chapter 15: DWMA

The sound of glass shattering broke the silence that hung the crisp air. Lights flickered on and shouts of protest were heard, but a man in a red suit jumped out of the window unharmed. He landed in a crouching position; opening the sack he had flung over his shoulder. He licked his lips, eying the glowing orbs that sat before him. His moment of triumph was shattered when a bullet split the air. The man hissed at a sudden pain blooming in his forearm where the bullet had found its mark, and he turned to run. He didn't get far before running into a dead end. His eyes narrowed as he put his back to the wall, scanning the darkness ahead. The quiet 'tap' of shoes against the concrete was his only warning as a skinny figure emerged from the shadows.

"Thief Lupin, we are here to recover the souls you've stolen," a cold eerie voice floated from the figure, and he flipped the two glowing purple pistols backwards. From them, two girls of different height but matching outfits appeared. The first figure, a boy, was crouched in the front, while the two girls formed a line behind him. Lupin was still hunched over his sack o' souls, watching them suspiciously. The boy suddenly shot up, whipping his head around to yell at the smaller of the girls.

"Darn it, Patty! Just look, your stance is off, the two of you aren't in a line!" He shouted, and the taller girl face palmed, shaking her head.

"Ooh, sorry Kid!" She exclaimed, a giggle escaping her lips.

"Just look at the two of you. No respect for the stance we've practiced again and again! This is the second time you've got it wrong in the last two missions. If you're going to get it wrong at least be off by eight inches!" Lupin raised an eyebrow, confused and also a bit weirded out. His eyes drifted to a sewer cover lying beside him, and he set to work taking it off.

Kid ranted about symmetry, occasionally throwing his hands up in disgust. Behind him, Lupin had shoved his bag in the hole and was now jumping on it in attempt to push it through.

"Uh, Kid," Liz started.

"Not now, Elizabeth! Nothing is more important than symmetry at the moment!" He yelled.

"He's getting away, he's getting away~" Patty sang, and Kid continued his rant. Lupin finally managed to shove the bag down, and he jumped after it, disappearing into the sewers.

"You two aren't even symmetrical!" Kid vented, completely ignoring the fact that the thief had got away.

"Oh, you're one to talk about your stinkin' symmetry! Your hair isn't even symmetrical!" Liz shouted back, and Kid's eyes grew wide in realization.

"Y-You're right . . . I'm asymmetrical garbage!" He wailed, and flung himself onto the floor. "I shouldn't be allowed to live! Oh, my father will probably disown me! Good, I don't deserve a father like him! I'm trash! Scum! Filthy, asymmetrical trash!" He cried.

"Here we go again," Liz said with a sigh as she crouched beside the distraught boy. "No, Kid, you're not trash. Your father won't disown you, and you do deserve him. You're definitely not garbage, you're the best meister ever." She comforted while Patty laughed maniacally.

"R-Really?" He said, peeing up at her patient face.

"Yes, really." She confirmed. In a flash, he was up on his feet.

"Then I'll call my father to report our progress." He declared.

"Like we've made any since the last two missions," She grumbled. He either didn't hear her comment or ignored it, because he was focused on calling his dad. He twisted his fingers and muttered something under his breath. His hands shot forward, and an outline of a flowing purple skull flashed on the ground. His father's face popped up out of nowhere.

"Heyo, Kiddo! Your stripes are looking cute as ever!" The Shinigami commented, and Liz and Patty made "X" symbols while shaking their heads frantically behind Kid.

"Stop it, Chichiue," he commanded with a sigh.

"How was your mission?" He asked.

"He got away, but we almost had him." Kid informed. _We _did_ have him! _Liz silently protested.

"I see!" Lord Death exclaimed, "Well, good job anyways." _Doing what? Letting the guy get away? If that was the point of our mission, we could've made that a LOT easier. _Liz thought. Kid didn't seem phased about not catching the thief, which was slightly concerning. Then again, Kid himself was concerning. They headed back to the D.W.M.A. in silence, except for Patty's occasional outbursts that made no sense whatsoever. When they got there, they headed towards the Death Room where Kid's father waited.

"Hi~!" A chipper voice called, and Shinigami-sama popped into view. Kid nodded a hello, while the girls waved. "How's your soul collection coming along? I know it's only been a year since you've partnered up, but I'm expecting you to have a fair amount."

"At the moment, Liz has sixty-eight and Patty has sixty-seven," kid informed, wincing at the uneven number, "and we've got one witch soul already."

"Good, good! Now, you know you don't actually have to be doing this? Since you're a shinigami, you don't need to collect souls to turn your weapons into Death Scythes." His father reminded him.

"I know, but you said it yourself, Chichiue, we are one of the best meister and weapons pairs out there. Helping rid the world of Kishin eggs won't do any harm, and the practice is quite helpful. Liz and Patty aren't shinigamis and they don't have the requirements, yet, to become Death Scythes," Kid explained. His father nodded again, clapping his oversized white-gloved hands together.

"Alrighty then! I wish you luck on your missions, and stay safe!" He said, and Kid rolled his eyes.

"Of course we will." He said as he walked out the door, followed by an energetic blonde and a pondering brunette. Liz eyed him cautiously as he walked out. She didn't understand this father-son relationship, since they barely even had one. Some days, he wouldn't even mention his father's name without his face wrinkling in distaste. Other times, he didn't mind talking about him or talking to him. Bringing his father's name up in conversation was like walking on eggshells. You never knew how he was going to react, and most of the time it wasn't pleasant.

Patty laughed, bringing her out of her thoughts to see the boy whipping a tape measure that he just happens to always have in his pocket, and measuring the sides of a painting. He then measured the distance to the floor, and threw his hands up in agony.

"The frame is 7.28 inches! Two centimeters. _TWO CENTIMETERS _away from eight inches! This cannot be happening! I must fix it at once!" He exclaimed, his gold eyes wide with frustration.

"Wow, a whooping two centimeters," Liz muttered, "We'd better just take down this whole wall." Kid turned to her.

"Enough of your sarcasm, Elizabeth, this is a serious matter!" He then proceeded to ramble on and on about 'perfection' and 'balance'. Liz smirked at the sound of him using her full name. He only did it in times of "dire moments", which included his symmetry fits. She rolled her eyes, grabbed him by the back of his suit collar, and dragged him down the halls. He continued to protest and rant about the symmetry while Patty was laughing her head off.

"What is that?" A boy with white, shaggy hair and sunken amber eyes mumbled, aroused from his nap at his desk.

"Shh! You're missing the lesson!" The girl who sat next to him hissed, her emerald eyes focused on their professor.

"But really, what is that? It sounds like a dying llama." A voice said next to the pair, and emerald met vibrant green eyes shrouded in pink hair.

"Whatever it is, it's taking the attention away from ME, and I don't like it!" An obnoxious voice entered the conversation. The boy who yelled it was now standing on top of his desk, only to be knocked off as a chair hit him square in the chest.

"Black Star. You're disrupting my class," the professor in a white lab coat said, pushing his glasses up on his stitched-up face, "Now give me my chair back."  
>"You threw it at ME!" The boy named Black Star whined, but reluctantly gave the chair back.<p>

"Professor Stein, what was that noise?" The emerald-eyed girl piped up, and all eyes focused on the professor.

"A dying llama." Stein answered, a smile flickering on his face.

"I knew it!" The pink-haired girl exclaimed, wearing a triumphant smile. She then proceeded to taunt Black Star over her win, and the professor eyed her, picking up his chair once more in a threatening move.

"Kim, do I need to throw this at you as well?" He addressed the girl.

"No." She answered with a pout and sat back down quickly. As the professor began to resume his lecture once more, the emerald-eyed girl looked lost in thought.

"Maka? Anyone in there?" The white haired boy asked, tapping against her head with his fist. She glared at him.

"Shut up, Soul, I'm trying to think," she said. The white haired boy, Soul, made his best pouting face, and Maka couldn't help but grin.

"I just thought that voice sounded familiar, that's all." She explained, and turned her attention back to the lesson.

* * *

><p>"Kiddo-kun?" A voice ventured, and Kid spun around, jostled out of his thoughts when the mirror rang. His eyes put on a cold stare when he saw the figure that appeared.<p>

"Father." He stated, wanting to add some sarcastic remark, like, "what did I do to deserve this pleasure?"

"Heyo! Wassup!" He cheered, and Kid just stared through the whole façade.

"What do you require of me, father?" He asked bluntly.

"Ah, straight to the point as always," his father commented, "You should try and be less serious at times, I'm sure—"

"Father, please." Kid said, and Lord Death cleared his throat.

"I've decided to enroll Liz and Patty in the DWMA." He said cautiously. Kid stood there, registering the news. "It would be a good idea if you went with them."  
>"You did this without consulting me first?" He asked, hurt evident in his voice.<p>

"I'm doing it for your weapon's benefit," he stated, "So I asked them. They were fine with it, I think they're eager to experience this part of their childhood they never had." Kid pursed his lips slightly.

"Alright." He agreed, but his tone was weary.

"Good decision, Kiddo!" He congratulated him.

"If that is all, father, I should be going," Kid pointed out, and was about to end the call.

"Kid," his father blurted out suddenly, and Kid turned, his eyes emotionless.

"Yes?"

"I think we should spend some time together soon," He offered, and Kid's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope.

"I'd like that," Kid admitted, a small grin on his pale face. Shinigami smiled largely under his mask, and waved goodbye. Liz came downstairs, and caught a glance of the happy look on his face. She inwardly smiled. It was rare this boy showed emotion, and even more rarely, emotion of happiness or content. He noticed his weapon coming down the stairs.

"Hello, Liz," he greeted and she smiled.

"Hey Kid. So, you agreed to coming to school?" She asked, and the smile vanished, replaced by an emotion she couldn't identify. Regret, maybe.

"Yes, I suppose I am. We'll start tomorrow." Kid informed her. She watched this strange boy dust off his suit, and then promptly exit to go study or something. She shook her head, wishing he'd for once act like a normal person.

* * *

><p>"Professor Stein, is it true there's a new student coming to this school?" Maka asked.<p>

"It's not unusual, Maka," Stein said.

"Well, in the middle of the term it is," she pointed out, and Stein shrugged.

"Yes, there is a new student coming."  
>"A new student who gets to watch in awe as Black Star continues to be awesome!" Black Star shouted, a prideful look on his face. Maka rolled her eyes, and Soul smirked.<p>

"Black Star, you shouldn't be so loud," his partner, Tsubaki, advised.

"Have you ever heard of a god that's quiet and awesome? I HAVEN'T!" He yelled once more, not seeing the book spine on a direct path towards his head. It connected firmly, and a squeak escaped from the boy's lips. He slumped to the floor, tongue hanging out. Maka retrieved her book, dusting it off. Soul gave her a weary glance, as if she'd hit him as well. Which she usually did.

"Guess we'll just have to wait until tomorrow to see who it is." Soul said, putting his feet up on the desk and closing his eyes. Maka rolled her eyes at her partners' sloppiness, but agreed.

* * *

><p><strong>Two chapters in one week, I was motivated! Thanks for all the lovely reviews, and I know the story at the moment is a little boring. It'll pick up after the next few chapters, don't worry. <strong>

**~Shay **


	16. Chapter 16: The Fight At School

"I believe we're ready. Are you, Liz, Patty?" The boy asked, confidence radiating in his steady voice.

"Yeah. We were ready three hours ago, when we were _supposed_ to leave." Liz grumbled, but Kid ignored her, instead staring at the perfectly symmetrical house.

"Let's go then," Kid said, stepping outside where they were greeted with a chilly breeze. They walked in silence, climbing the long, treacherous flights of stairs until they reached the top. Kid smiled, admiring the 'perfect' school as always. His golden eyes scanned the area, noticing a boy sitting down, leaning against a wall with his hands in his pockets. A headband pulled his white hair back, and it blew in the wind. His eyes met Kid's and the boy smirked. It wasn't a condescending smirk, or an unfriendly one, but it wasn't exactly a welcoming smile.

"Hello, are you here to give me a tour of the school?" Kid asked, approaching the boy, who laughed.

"Maybe if you had shown up when it started. Did walking up the seven flights of stairs take you longer than expected?" He asked, and Kid's left eye twitched.

"What did you say? Seven? MAKE IT EIGHT, DARN IT!" He yelled suddenly, and the boy raised his eyebrows, confused.

"Why eight?" He questioned cautiously.

"BECAUSE EIGHT IS A PERFECTLY SYMMETRICAL NUMBER! You can't divide seven symmetrically, but if you divide eight horizontally or vertically it stays perfectly symmetrical!" He explained frantically, making all sorts of hand gestures and going on and on.

"Uh, is there something wrong with you?" He asked, looking at Liz for clarification. Patty, on the other hand, was laughing her head off.

"Yes. He's insane." Liz said, face palming. She looked up towards the sky, and spotted a figure on one of the red posts jutting out. "Is that a monkey? Hey Kid, I think someone's trying to talk to you." She called out to Kid. Just then, the cone he was standing on broke, and the figure fell to the ground. "Definitely a monkey." Liz clarified.

Kid jerked his head up, glaring at the broken cone.

"You. How dare you disturb the symmetry?" Kid accused, and the boy stood up.

"How dare YOU steal my show? I'm the biggest star there is! The best assassin ever!" The boy fired back, a prideful smirk on his face. Kid was basically trembling in rage, yet the blue-haired boy didn't seem to be affected.

"Uh, Black Star, assassins aren't supposed to be seen or heard," Soul informed him.

"But what's the fun in that?" Black Star whined.

"You disturbed the symmetry of this school!" Kid growled, "Go and fix it, now!"

"Yeah right. I'm not listening to anyone who tries to steal MY show. Soul, let's show em' how we do things around here." Soul reluctantly got up from his position against the wall, hands still shoved in his pockets.

"If you're picking a fight with me, I can't guarantee your soul's safety," Kid said, his voice sharp. Soul and the blue-haired boy exchanged a confused glance, but shrugged it off.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's go, Soul," the boy ordered.

"I could really care less if we fought you. But since Black Star's my partner, I can't leave him alone." Soul said with a sigh. The two stood next to each other, prepared to fight.

"You two are so stupid it makes me want to _laugh._ Liz, Patty," Kid called, and the two sisters transformed into guns. Soul raised an eyebrow, starting to rethink the whole 'accepting a fight with this guy' ordeal. Black Star, on the other hand, had a wicked smile on his face. He was eager, Kid could tell. He eyed the two, standing on either sides of him, and in a flash began firing at them.

Alarmed, Soul and Black Star ran around the best they could, avoiding the bullets. Kid didn't move, instead staying directly in the center of the two dancing idiots.

"Shoot, I can't even get close to this guy," Black Star exclaimed, and Kid stopped firing for a second.

"Oh? It's close quarters you want?" He taunted, and flipped into the air. On his way down, he slammed his foot into Black Star's arms that were covering his face. He landed low, sweeping Black Star's feet out from under him and launching the blue-haired boy into the air with his back. Soul joined in on the attack, transforming his arm into a blade.

"Haaa!" He yelled, swinging it towards Kid's head. Kid deflected it with his gun, and a look of surprise rendered on Soul's face.

"What the—" He started, but his words were cut off as Kid kneed him in the stomach. Crouching low, Kid bent on one knee to intercept the boy's path. His gun rammed into his stomach, and Soul's eyes widened as Kid pulled the trigger.

"Soul!" Black Star yelled. Soul was flown back, landing in a crumpled heap.

"Ahh! THAT HURT LIKE HECK!" Soul cried, clutching his stomach.

"We're not normal guns. We don't shoot regular bullets. Instead, we shoot compressed soul wavelengths. If we wanted to kill you, we easily could've," Liz remarked from her gun form.

"You could've died, you could've died!" Patty shrieked, her voice filled with laughter.

"Ok, now I really want to kill this guy." Black Star snarled, his eyes locked on Kid's relaxed form. Soul nodded his agreement, and they launched themselves at him again.

* * *

><p>"Professor Stein, there's someone fighting outside!" A student called, and more gathered at the window.<p>

"I wonder who it is," Tsubaki said.

"Probably our two idiots." Maka replied with a shake of her head. "Professor, there's a rule that if students want to duel on campus, an adult must be present!" She shouted, getting the professor's attention.

Stein heaved a sigh. "You're correct. Maka, Tsubaki, come with me. The rest of you, we'll continue when I return," he said, dropping the scapel he was about to use to dissect some poor bird whose eyes were wide with fear. He hopped on his rolling chair and promptly crashed down the steps.

Tsubaki's eyes were filled with concern for her meister as they ran down the hallways.

"_Sorry Tsubaki, but Soul's my weapon partner now." Black Star said, walking out with Soul following close behind. _

Her mouth dropped in a slight frown as she recalled the day's earlier events.

"Tsubaki, you okay?" Maka asked, noticing the girl's look of disappointment.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine," Tsubaki answered with a reassuring smile. They ran into the courtyard, eyes widening at the sight before them. Soul and Black Star were fighting another boy without success.

"Professor Stein, is that the new boy?" Maka asked, and then let out a small gasp.

_No, it couldn't be . . . Kid?! But why is he here? Who is he fighting with? _A million questions raced through her mind as she turned her attention to the fight. Black Star and Soul were coming at Kid from both sides. He held his ground, crossed his arms and shot them both. Soul was blown back, and Black Star landed on his butt.

A tug on Kid's leg startled him, and he looked to see Black Star holding a long belt that was wrapped on Kid's leg.

"That was just a distraction!" Black Star yelled, and he tugged on the belt, causing Kid to fall backwards, his legs spread out. Soul transformed into a scythe, spinning towards Kid, who barely had time to react. He was able to move the slightest bit, causing Soul to land without making contact. Kid rolled backwards, dragging Black Star who was still holding onto the belt. Black Star's face was smashed into Soul's blade, and Soul rolled his eyes from inside his weapon form.

"That's it, I've had enough of this guy," Black Star declared, "You ready, Soul?"  
>"Yeah, let's show him what true power is!" Soul exclaimed. A flash of confusion crossed Kid's face, and he tensed, ready to fight.<p>

"What?" He asked, trying to read their faces.

"Let's go, Soul!" He yelled, and Soul jumped into the air, transforming once again into a scythe.

"Oooh!" Kid and Patty gasped, their eyes sparkling as they gazed upwards.

"You guys aren't taking this very seriously," Liz muttered. Soul spun towards Black Star, who had his arms raised towards the sky, ready to catch him. Unfortunately, he didn't think his plan through, because Soul dropped right on his head. A trickle of blood ran down Black Star's face.

"AHHH OWWW!" He screamed, his eyes bulging.

"Why would you catch me with your head, idiot!?" Soul yelled.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Black Star cried, trying to pick Soul's scythe form up. "What the heck, what have you been eating, bricks? Why are you so heavy?!" He shouted.

"I can't be; Maka swings me around like I'm nothing!" Soul fired back. His head and upper body emerged from his scythe's blade, eyes bulging like Black Star's.

"OUCH! THAT HURT, YOU IDIOT!" He yelled. "Why would you blast me with your Soul Wavelength?!" The continued to bicker as Soul changed back into his human form.

"Black Star, this won't work anymore," he said quietly.

"W-What do you mean, Soul?" Black Star asked timidly.

"I mean if I stay with you much longer I'll probably kill myself." Soul replied.

"So . . . you're saying you want to break up?"

"That's what I just said, yeah." Soul confirmed.

"Can I shoot them now?" Kid asked, his voice coated with boredom.

"Let's wait, things are just starting to get interesting!" Liz hushed him.

"But, can we still be friends?" Black Star questioned.

"Of course you idiot!" Soul replied.

"Oh, Soul!" Black Star cried, running towards his friend.

"Oh, Black Star!" Soul answered.

"Soul!"  
>"Black Star!"<p>

"Souuul!"

"Black Staaaaarr!" The two met in a hug, clasping their arms around each other. 'Bang'! The two fell backwards with a thud, Kid standing with both guns pointed.

"Oops. Sorry, my fingers slipped." He apologized with heavy sarcasm. They picked themselves off the ground, snarls present on both their faces.

"My dear soul-seeing meister Maka," Stein began, "May I borrow you for a second?" He asked, his face innocent.

"What? Uhm, sure," she agreed hesitantly, thinking of dissection.

"Not for that," Stein chuckled, and Maka relaxed, "Look at Kid's soul and tell me what you see." He ordered. Maka did so, her moss-green eyes flashing once.

"Normally, it's impossible to connect wavelengths with two weapons, but he seems to be doing it," she informed, and Stein nodded. "Unlike our idiots," she muttered.

"You're right, what else?"

"They're so stable," she began, "And it seems like they're bonded closely."

"Correct. An up-tight soul like Kid's is calmed by the two sisters easy-going free-spirited souls. In return, their souls are drawn more towards refined soul like their meister's." Stein finished, and Maka nodded her understanding. Kid glared at the two across from him.

"And now, you're going to die," he remarked in an oddly steady tone.

"What's happening, Stein? It looks like his soul is swelling." Maka observed.

"Yes, he's about to show us just how different his level is from theirs." Stein replied, lighting a cigarette. True to what Maka said, Kid was now surrounded in a ball of blue. Three black spikes appeared on either arm, and Liz and Patty's form changed until they were cannons. He dropped to the ground in a crouch.

"Uh, Black Star, this looks kind of bad." Soul pointed out.

"Yeah right! I'll kick your butt any day!" Black Star jeered.

"No, I mean, I think we should move." Soul urged.

"No way! I can take whatever this punk's got!" He assured Soul, who didn't look so convinced.

"Resonance stable, noise at 0.63%!" Liz called.

"Feedback in 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . You're ready to fire!" Patty yelled. Kid's eyes locked onto his target.

"Death Cannon." He muttered, and fired.

"Crap." Soul said bluntly, no time to move as the blast hit them full on. They lay, smoking, clothes tattered, in a large crater.

"Black Star!" Tsubaki cried, running towards her meister. Kid stood up, his guns returning to their human form. He suddenly swayed, and fell over with a thud. Blood was gushing out of his nose.

"Oh? What's this?" Stein wondered.

"I think I can explain," Maka ventured, and Stein nodded her on, "When Black Star used his belt to push Kid down, and Soul transformed, his blade caught the edge of Kid's hair, slicing off an inch or so. Since Kid was so focused on the battle, he didn't notice until now that his symmetry was ruined." She explained.

"So, we won, right?" Black Star croaked, feebly raising a fist for a fist pump.

"Uh," Tsubaki started, "I'm not really sure you won." She was ignored as Soul and Black Star started cheering. Just then, they noticed a figure coming out to the courtyard.

"Lord Death!" Maka exclaimed.

"Hello, meister Maka!" He greeted with a playful voice. "I've just come to see how my son's first day was. I'll be taking him home now!" He said, and both Soul's and Black Star's eyes widened.

"_He's Lord Death's SON!?" _They exclaimed, and Maka nodded.  
>"Well, I think we did pretty good against that guy!" Black Star cheered, and Soul high fived him.<p>

"You two got beaten to a pulp." Maka pointed out, and Tsubaki nodded with an apologetic smile. The two shrugged and were ignored as the boys continued to celebrate.

"We'll be going now." The taller weapon said as she picked Kid up and followed Shinigami-sama out. Maka couldn't help but laugh, and give a slow shake of her head.

"Maka?" Tsubaki asked cautiously.

"Oh, nothing," she answered, "I just can't believe it's him." She said quietly, but nobody heard her but herself. She stared after the four disappearing figures and reluctantly walked back inside the school.

* * *

><p><strong>This scene in the anime was hilarious, and I don't know if I wrote all the humor correctly, but it was still really fun to write! I may upload another chapter later this week if I feel up to it ;)<strong>

**Thanks for all the reviews!**

**~Shay**


	17. Chapter 17: We're Playing Bas-ket-baaall

The trio walked up the long stairs once again, but this time they were on time. Despite Kid's protests at not waking up at 8:00 sharp, he agreed to wake up at 7:08. The two sisters dragged him out of bed, and they all left the house. The walk wasn't long; the only thing that consumed time was the stairs. Once they got to the courtyard, they observed all the seemingly uninterested students milling around, but Liz made a mental note of how some shuffled out of their way in a hurry when they walked by. Patty kept laughing at the people who walked by until Liz scolded her, and Patty then made faces at the back of her sister's head. Liz looked impressed by the school, but did her best to hide it. Kid, however, was making sure everything was symmetrical as they walked down the hallways. He even whipped out a ruler a couple of times and grunted in satisfaction when it proved to be perfect.

"Here's our class," Liz said, pointing to a sign hanging above the door that read, 'Class Crescent Moon'. Kid opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a remark from behind.

"How long are you going to stand there?" He turned to see the white-haired boy from the previous day's fight.

"I was just going inside, actually," Kid informed him.

"At least you're on time today," Soul commented with a toothy grin, "No hard feelings about yesterday, right?"

"I usually arrive promptly on time. No hard feelings, of course." Kid replied with his own smile. Soul held out his hand for a fist-bump and Kid returned it.

"Maybe you're not as socially awkward as I thought," Soul said. Kid looked at his hand and held out his other.  
>"Can you do that to this one as well? It will be symmetrical then." He asked, and Soul rolled his eyes.<p>

"I take that back." He said and began to walk into the class. Kid gave a small whimper and stared at both hands in dissatisfaction, until Soul turned around and gave him a fist bump in the other hand. The professor turned his head slightly when they entered, and the chatter in the room hushed. Kid stood awkwardly at the front of the room, except his demeanor was one of confidence with an air of boredom.

"You can sit anywhere you'd like." Stein said with a wave of his hand, and Kid scanned the room. Some students sat with dislike radiating from their souls, some sat with uncertainty, others just didn't a.) Didn't care, b.) Were asleep, or c.) Were high. Kid noticed the blue-haired boy from the fight staring at him with a frown on his face. Kid expected some sort of aura of hatred, but he only sensed a competitive spirit. He followed Soul up the steps while Liz and Patty trailed behind him. Soul gestured to a seat beside him, and he sat. Liz and Patty went on the other side of Soul, and Kid frowned at not being able to sit between his two weapons.

Next to him was an empty seat, but next to the empty seat was Black Star, who was looking at him with curiosity in his eyes. Black Star's partner, Tsubaki, as he heard Black Star call her, was gazing up at the ceiling. Commotion at the front of the class shattered his discomfort, and he looked up to see an emerald-eyed girl running into the class. Her black, white-buttoned coat flowed around her legs as she ran, her dark blonde hair pulled into pigtaisl. Kid couldn't help but gape a little at how much she'd grown and changed. The hairstyle hadn't changed, and he was glad, because she looked symmetrical with it, but everything about her seemed new.

"Sorry I'm late, Professor! I was . . ." she trailed off as her eye caught Kid's, and she gave a little gasp. It wasn't noticed by anyone except Kid, Soul, Black Star, and Tsubaki, but she acted like it had never happened.

"It's fine, Maka, just go take a seat," Stein instructed, twisting the screw he had in his head to the right. She jogged up the steps, and slid into the empty seat next to Kid. He couldn't help but stare, and she couldn't help but stare right back.

"You've changed," she said helplessly, and he nodded.

"You have, too." He answered simply, but he felt if he broke the stare, she wouldn't be there when he looked back. Her gaze flickered away to Black Star's narcissistic voice filling the air, and he focused his attention back to the Professor.

After the class, she watched the students file out, but she grabbed the one she was looking for. He turned around at her touch, and smiled politely.

"I didn't know you were coming here." She said.

"I am." he replied, his voice steady, "How have you been?" she was swallowed in golden orbs, feeling herself stare just a little too long.

"Skip the formalities already, I missed you!" She laughed while she said it, happily giving him a hug.

"I missed you as well," He answered once the hug ended, and she grinned.

"I'm sure you've already met Black Star and Soul. Soul's my weapon partner, and I'm assuming those two girls are yours?" She asked, nodding her head towards Liz and Patty.

"Yes, they're both my weapons," he confirmed, and she grabbed his wrist.

"Tell them to come over. We can all eat lunch together!" Maka exclaimed excitedly. He did, seeing Liz shrug and Patty cry out an enthusiastic "YES!" Causing everyone to stare before resuming his or her normal activities. The trio, and Maka, walked to the lunchroom, where the 'gang' sat. They reacted warmly two the three new members, except for the occasional frown from Black Star, that is. Kid found out that Black Star could actually rival with Patty's eating (and screeching) habits, that Liz and Tsubaki got along really well, and that Maka hadn't changed as much as he thought. She was still a 'know it all'; Kid concluded, and her love for books hadn't gone away. He found himself staring at her more than he should.

"Kid? Hello? You've been looking at Maka for a while." Liz whispered, and he jumped a little.

"Oh, just admiring her symmetry." He said almost too quickly, but Liz bought it because her hairstyle was indeed symmetrical. Some called her pigtails childish, but Kid hoped she'd keep them for a little while. They really were symmetrical.

After the day had ended, the trio began to walk home.  
>"Kid," Maka called, "Liz, Patty!" They turned.<p>

"Hey Maka," Liz greeted, while Patty pointed at her.

"We usually like to play basketball whenever we can, it helps with the stress. I don't really like to, since I'm not good at it, but do you guys want to? We can have even teams now." Maka offered, and Patty clapped her hands together.

"YASSS, I'MA BEAT ALL THEM GIRAFFES!" She shrieked, and they all looked at her with a dumbfounded stare.

"Err, yes, I suppose we could tag along." Kid accepted with a slow yawn. Liz smirked.

"I'll have ya'll know, I'm pretty awesome at basketball. Prepare to have your butts kicked." She boasted.

"We usually start around 7:00, so just meet us at the courts." Maka instructed before waving farewell and walking away. The trio headed back to their mansion, and headed out once more when they were ready. They walked to the courts, with Liz boasting about her skills all the way there. Patty was jumping up and down, causing one side of her pink tank top to slip off her shoulder, and her baggy camo jeans to almost fall as well.

"Patty! Your shirt is asymmetrical, please fix it." Kid pointed out, and Liz rolled her eyes. At least he didn't make the sisters dress identically out side of missions. Kid himself had traded his pristine suit for black jeans, a plain black jacket, and a light red shirt. They showed up to the courts at 7:08 and saw the gang waiting for them.

"Alright, you're here. Let's divide up the teams!" Soul yelled enthusiastically while Maka gave a bored roll of her eyes.

"It'll be Black Star, Liz, and Maka vs. Kid, Patty, and Soul." Tsubaki stated, and twirled a whistle around her finger. "I'll ref, because otherwise you guys will spend all night arguing." The teams nodded.

"The penalty for losing is on the captains shoulders…So Maka, if your team loses, you have to spend a day with your dad." Soul instructed with a toothy grin.

"What!? Why am I captain?" Maka cried, and Black Star laughed.

"Cause' you're the bossiest!" He pointed out, and Maka stuck her tongue out at him.

"Kid, you'll be the captain on this team," Soul said, and Kid frowned slightly, "So your punishment will be…"

"If he looses, we'll move every picture frame in the house of by two inches, and you can't change it back for a full day!" Liz chimed in, and the teams laughed but agreed.

"That's preposterous!" Kid cried, but no one listened.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road!" Black Star yelled.

"Remember guys, keep it clean, and have good sportsmanship," Tsubaki reminded them, but her quiet voice was lost in the bounce of the ball.

"I am NOT losing," Kid stated, "So let's win this."

After thirty minutes, including small breaks to explain to Maka that you can't actually tackle someone for the ball, and to Patty that punching someone in the face because they stepped on your shoe isn't allowed, the game ended with a jump-shot 3-pointer from Kid.

"Nice fade away bro, that was totally cool." Soul congratulated Kid, who modestly blushed.

"I just really didn't want to lose," Kid confessed, and Liz laughed.

"Maka, I think your dad's waiting for you, don't you have a date to go on?" Soul reminded the fuming blonde with a mocking tone.

"Shut up, Soul," she grumbled, "I can't believe you guys are doing this to me!" Black Star let out an obnoxious laugh, and Tsubaki gave him a disapproving stare.

"You!" He shouted, whipping around and pointing a finger at Kid's face. "I will never lose to you! I demand a rematch!"

"You've already lost to me twice now," Kid pointed out, "but if you beg for a rematch I might consider." He teased, and Black Star frowned.

"Good sportsmanlike qualities, remember?" Tsubaki reminded from the background, but her voice was once again lost in the banter.

"Nice game." Black Star grumbled in a barely audible tone, but he seemed to have a grin on his face.

"I didn't catch that, would you mind repeating it?" Kid said lightly with an amused tone.

"You heard me!" Black Star muttered before playfully punching Kid's shoulder. Although it didn't show on his face, Kid was pleased he could joke around with these…Hooligans…

On the trio's way back home, Liz glanced at her meister, and was pleased when she saw a smile on his face. She then glanced at Patty and shivered, because her sister was having a conversation with an imaginary giraffe and was getting really into it. Her facial expressions were enough to give people nightmares. She rolled her eyes and continued the walk to the mansion, where hopefully she would get Patty to calm down, and Kid to go to bed at a reasonable hour. Seriously, he was such a little kid sometimes. Avoiding bedtime for hours upon end.

She sighed, and hoped everything would go well that night.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow, I am seriously sorry for the absence of chapters! School and other activities has really been taking its toll on me. Hopefully I'll be able to get another chapter up soon to make up for it!<br>**

**I know this one was boring and short but I ran into a writers block that will not go away. **

**Remember to R&R and I love hearing your suggestions, so send in more :)**

**~Shay**


	18. Chapter 18: Black Blood

"Death Scythe, Stein, where are you going?" Kid asked, not bothering to look up from the book he was reading. He was sitting in his own personal "throne" in the death room, where his father was currently taking a mirror call. Stein and Spirit exchanged a small glance, but Kid somehow caught it.

"What?" He asked again, cautiously.

"Well, Maka and Soul are appearing to have run into a highly skilled opponent in Italy. We are going to assist them." Spirit answered slowly. Kid rose out of his seat slightly.

"What? Are they all right? What opponent?" he fired questions, "I'm coming."

"No, you're not," Stein instructed, and Kid shot him a venomous glare, "We aren't sure who the opponent is. Their soul wavelength suddenly flared up, and Maka and Soul were the nearest team. We told them to proceed with caution, but this is out of hand." He said with a worried tone.

"Is it an Afreet?" Kid questioned, and Stein shook his head.

"We believe it is a Kishin in the last stages. But, we also have reason to believe they are using a demon weapon, so—" Stein started, but was interrupted by Spirit, "Yes, we must go disect-er, _investigate."_

"We have to go," he said hurriedly, and the duo ran out. Kid sank back into his seat with his two index fingers touching in front of his mouth. A creased brow lined his forehead. _A kishin using a demon weapon? Maka, stay a safe… _He thought, feeling the second crawl by. The seconds turned into minutes. And minutes turned into hours. He still waited.

* * *

><p>He heard voices in the hall, and jumped up and ran out the doors. Spirit was conversing in a low tone with Stein, who was peaking out of the infirmary's door. Maka was standing up against the wall, her face buried in her hands.<p>

"Maka!" He called out, but she had already started to run down the hall. He jogged to the infirmary's door. "Stein, what's going on? Why is Maka upset? Where's Soul?" He asked rapidly.

"Slow down." Stein snapped in a harsh tone, and then relaxed. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. "It's Soul, he was gravely injured." Kid's eyes grew wide, and he opened his mouth to ask more questions. "He's undergone surgery, so he's stable right now, but…" He trailed off.

"'But' what? He'll be fine, right?" Kid pressed.

"Yes, of course." Stein answered hastily. Kid knew he couldn't question him any further.

"Is Maka alright?" Kid asked.

"She believes it's her fault Soul got injured. He took a hit for her, and she doesn't understand that's what partners do." Spirit answered, stepping our from behind Stein with a tired expression on his face. Kid nodded his understanding, and hastily walked down the hallway in the direction she'd gone. After many twists and turns, he pushed open the door he was searching for.

Quickly stepping into the quiet atmosphere, he scanned the room. Not many people were there, but he didn't see the one he was looking for. He jogged up a metal, spiraling staircase and smiled.

"How did I know you would be here?" He asked softly, and blonde pigtails spun around. Dull, emerald eyes and a red nose faced him.

"K-Kid. I didn't see you there," she stammered, wiping an excess tear from her cheek.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes…well, no…" She replied shakily.

"Would you consider talking about it?" He questioned, sitting down in a seat next to hers, "Not to a counselor, or a teacher, but to a friend?" The corners of her mouth twitched up.

"Yeah, I guess." She said. He nodded for her to begin, and after sucking in a slow breath she told him what had happened.

"I felt a wavelength coming from a church nearby, we were on our way back from a mission. It wasn't a normal wavelength, and something in my mind told me not to investigate it. But I did, so Soul and I went it. It was really dark, and I couldn't see anything. I just kept hearing this…this laughter. Some light filtered in through the stained glass, and there was this boy with light pink hair and really large blue eyes. He looked so—scared. I didn't know what he was scared of, but he was singing softly about something black.

"We took a step forward, and something burst out of his back. It was weird, really weird. He looked like he was in pain, but he didn't do anything to stop it. When the thing burst out, it was black, with muscular arms and torso. It was connected to his back and had no lower body. Its eyes were white, with x's over them, and it had an 'x' across its face. The boy turned to us and sang softly, 'my blood is black, you can't hurt me'."

"Then the black thing turned into a sword, black with one stripe down the blade and some sort of metal spike on the hilt, which was wrapped in white. The boy said something about 'Ragnarok, scream…' the sword had a mouth, and it screamed. The air was visibly vibrating and I couldn't hear anything. The boy attacked, but he was clumsy and only attacked with one hand. I blocked him, and then sliced his shoulder, but no blood came out. Something black came out instead. He repeated, 'you can't hurt me', but I didn't listen. We kept trying, but Soul yelled out in pain when his blade connected with the other boy's. We couldn't block the attacks or else Soul would get hurt, so we just kept dodging, but eventually I m-messed up…" Maka started to tear up again, and her breathing was uneven.

"I fell, and the boy was about to kill me…but…Soul…j-jumped in front and got sliced across the chest…for me…" She stuttered, and buried her face in her hands once more. Kid sat still, running information through his head.  
>"Maka, can you trust me?" He said suddenly, when her tears had slowed, and she looked up at him with confusion.<p>

"Y-Yeah," she answered, and was about to say something more, when he 'shushed' her.

"Then trust me that I would do anything, anything for Liz and Patty. I would give up my life for them, and I know they would do the same. They are my weapon parnters, but also my friends. They know that in life, sacrifices have to be made. They've learned that the hard way, and so have I. But I can trust them, Maka, and they can trust me, and I can trust that no matter what, they'll never give up on me. I would give up my life for any of my friends, even the ones I've just met. I trust them, that's why. I trust that if I won't give up on them, they won't give up on me. I will readily sacrifice myself for them knowing that they would do the same. If you cannot harbor that trust in your partner, and understand why they did that for you, then they will not be able to harbor their trust in you.

"Maka, you must understand that Soul's decision to save your life was because he knew you would do the same for him. He knew the risks involved, but he hoped you would understand why he did that. It was not your fault, Maka." Kid said firmly. He blushed slightly when he noticed he had risen slightly out of his seat and his voice had grown louder.

"K-Kid…that was…"

"I know, I sincerely apologize, I let myself get taken away," he fumbled, "I'll be going now if—"

"Thank you." Maka whispered.

"What?" He asked bluntly, "Sorry, I uh-you're welcome." She smiled at his bashfulness and modesty. Brushing off her jacket and skirt, she stood up with a new energy in her eyes that radiated throughout her body.

"You're right, I need to trust Soul. I need to be there for him, too," she exclaimed, and blushed when she faced Kid, "Really, thank you, Kid." He watched with a small smile as she bounced away, her pigtails flying out behind her. His smile faded as he played the events she described over and over again in his head. _Black Blood…where have I heard of that before?_

* * *

><p>"Heyo, Kiddo-kun!"<p>

"Hello, Chichiue," Kid said with a small bow, "I need to ask you a question. Please answer honestly."  
>"Of course! Fire away!" Shinigami sang, clapping his hands together.<p>

"Black blood. What is it?" The room became silent, and Shinigami's hands slowly dropped to his sides.

"That's a tough question, are you—" Shinigami stalled, his voice not as chipper.

"Chichiue, please, tell me." Kid begged.

"It's an artificial blood cell, much like the blood cells humans have, and when injected into a person it turns their blood black. It consumes their soul with madness, and plunges them into insanity. It can be used as a weapon, or cause someone to become a Kishin." Shinigami explained, his tone lowering to almost a growl. Kid blinked slowly—partly because that was the most descriptive explanation he'd received from his father, and partly because he was shocked at how dangerous the blood could be.

"Then whoever implanted it in that boy had the intention of him becoming a Kishin?" Kid asked slowly.

"Yes, but it seems like he wasn't on the final stage. Stein and Spirit should have stopped him for now~" Shinigami concluded.

"I see. Thank you, Chichiue." Kid said and walked off, lost in thought. He didn't like the way his father had said, 'For now', and suspected there was more to it than just a random boy falling victim to black blood. No, this would've taken careful planning, but by whom? And why?

Millions of questions swarmed in his head, and sadly, he didn't have answers to any of them.

* * *

><p><strong>Really short chapter, I know . I apologize for any character being out of character during this story, I haven't watched Soul Eater in a while, and I'm not too good at capturing their feelings.<br>**

**We must get the boring chapters out of the way! So hang on! **

**If the story takes a different turn from what happened in the manga/anime, keep calm and remember this is Fanfiction. **

**Thank you sooooo much for your lovey reviews! It makes me really happy. Remember, I'm always open to suggestions!**

**~Shay**


	19. Chapter 19: Part-ayyy

Several weeks had passed since the attack on Maka, and the black blood had shown up more often, in more places than one. Stein had informed them of the black blood that had entered Soul's bloodstream when he was sliced across the chest, but that if Soul's soul was strong enough he would overpower it soon enough. Still, the tension hung heavy in the air when the subject was brought up.

Soul wasn't the only one who had been attacked by the Demon-sword-kishin-black-blood-evil-thing-somehow-named-Crona. Kid shuddered when he remembered how he, along with Liz and Patty, went aboard a ship called "The Black Dragon" and came face-to-face with the Demon Sword. He was still wary of that…encounter…as many strange things occurred, such as when he didn't die after being shot multiple times. Kid had unleashed a fury of attacks, after hearing the boy's excuse for eating all the poor souls he had collected, but the boy got away without so much as a scratch.

"_You want to know where the real hell is?" The boy tapped his head. "It's in here." _

Kid got nervous just thinking about the boy's declaration.

"_You can't hurt me. My blood is black." _

Something about his voice, and the aura that constantly surrounded him. He felt like he was forgetting something, something important.

"_Nake snake, cobra cobra…"_

Kid's head snapped up quickly, and he scanned the area around him. _I've heard that before, what is it? Why now? _He thought to himself, and swore the room dropped a few degrees. Not that it bothered him, he usually wasn't affected by the temperature. He was surprised to see goose bumps snaking their way up his arms, and he shivered once more before exiting the library.

The black blood wasn't the only problem on his hands. Reported cases of people just going completely mad were popping up everywhere. It wasn't fun to investigate mass-murders where the souls had suddenly vanished.

His father seemed to rely on him more than ever, yet somehow Kid knew it would only last temporarily, as the cases had to stop sometime.

He frowned at the thought of his father. Normally, he didn't know everything that went on, but it seemed his father was telling him less and less everyday. Sometimes, he'd just send him to investigate a case without any information.

He had overheard his father talking to someone, and the voice wasn't familiar. He could barely make out any of the words, as their tones were well below a whisper.

_Eibon. _

The word, or name, rang clearly in his head.

_Thank you, Eibon…we will…haven't…progress is slow…constant threats…pleasure working with you…not enough…_

Bits of the conversation floated through his thoughts, and he shook his head to clear them. At the moment, he needed to focus on something he could make sense of.

Symmetry.

He basically ran through the house, ruler in hand, measuring everything. This helped clear his mind, and he was lucky if he got to finish the inspection of each individual object.

A loud ring echoed through the halls, causing Kid to jump slightly. He walked to the buzzing mirror and answered it.

"Heyoooo!" A loud voice rang out, and Kid backed away a few steps, hoping to clear his now bleeding ears.

"Hello, Chichiue, what can I do for you?" Kid asked.

"Formal as always…have some fun!" Shinigami-sama scolded lightly, and clapped his hands together. "Are Liz and Patty there? Are you guys having fun?" He asked with a childish tone.

Kid immediately blushed, and shook his head. "W-Why would you even suggest that…" He muttered before regaining his composition. "Is there anything you need me to do?"

"Yes!" Shinigami-sama cheered, and Kid stood, waiting for him to explain. "We're going to have a party!"

Kid's mouth gaped open before he closed it quickly.

"A party."

"You heard me! We're going to have to prepare. After all, it is the anniversary of Shibusen!"

"A party."

"I'm sure all your friends well be so excited, and of course, everyone is welcome to come!"

"Do you really think a party is the best idea with all these mad maniacs running around?" Kid asked after he processed what Shinigami-sama was saying.

"Why not? Anyways, we're going to have it in a couple of days. So, be ready!" He shouted, and ended the mirror call. Kid smacked his forehead in disbelief.

"Well, that's that." He said to himself, shrugging. He summoned his skateboard, and took off to inform the others.

* * *

><p>"A party!?" The chourus of voices yelled at him.<p>

"Yes, a party." He answered with a bored tone.

"Right now? Is that really a good idea?" Maka asked hesitantly, but her voice was drowned in a sea of excitement.

"Will we get to help set it up? That means we'll have to go buy stuff…I can do the shopping! When? I'll figure it out. I'll have to get a new dress…" Liz was quietly arguing with…herself…while Soul and Blackstar were continuously high-fiving each other.

"I'll totally get up there and sing! I'M THE BEST SINGER THERE EVER WAS!" Blackstar chanted with much enthusiasm.

"L-Liz, what should I wear?" Tsubaki asked Liz quietly, which caused Liz to pull out a chart, pictures, diagrams, and a podium to help the flustered Tsubaki decide.

"What food's gonna be there?" Blackstar asked Soul, who shrugged.

"Probably edible food." He answered with a bored sniff, but the grin on his face showed he was looking forward to it.

"I LOVE edible food!" Blackstar yelled.

"CAN WE BRING GIRAFFES TO THE PARTY!?" Patty shrieked, causing everyone to jump, not noticing she had entered the room a few minutes ago.

"Uh, sure, Patty." Kid answered with a confused stare, but went back to trying to calm everyone down.

"Guys, it's just a party to celebrate the anniversary of the D.W.M.A." Kid explained once he had everyone's attention. They then sorted out who would bring what, and who would do what. Kid caught Maka's stare, and once the commotion ended, he walked over to her.

"You really think this is a good idea?" She asked quietly.

"Not in the slightest," Kid started, "With all the attacks going around, I don't think even the D.W.M.A will be safe." Maka nodded, and then heaved a sigh.

"I guess it'll relieve everyone's stress?" She offered with a grin, and Kid returned it.

"Yeah. Just be on guard. Tell the others, too," He said softly before exiting the room, followed by Liz and Patty.

"Girls," he said, interrupting their conversation, "during the party, I'd appreciate it if you stayed close to me." He offered no explanation.

"Uh, sure." Liz said before returing to Patty's conversation. Kid stuck his hands in his pockets, lost in thought.

* * *

><p>"Liz, Patty, are you ready?" He called, straightening the tie on his suit. Replacing his usual black and white suit, he wore a plain, all black one with a white undershirt and black tie. He was about to call their names again, when they started down the stairs.<p>

Patty wore a fluffy, light blue dress with a matching rose in her hair. The blue matched perfectly with her bouncy blonde curls.

"Hiyaaa! You were right, Kid, it does look good!" She screeched, and Kid smiled.

"I'm glad you like it—" He then caught sight of Liz, and gaped. She was clad in a long, slim, deep-blue dress with light sparkles trailing down the side, which had a long slit in it. Her hair was piled ontop of her head in a bun, with ringlets framing her hair. A blue brooch was planted in her hair.

"Does it look ok?" She asked, almost timidly.

"Y-yes, wow, it looks fantastic." Kid stammered, and cleared his throat. A slight blush tinted his cheeks as well as Liz's. She paused, awkwardly, before rushing out the door.

_I don't think I've realized how good he looks in that kind of suit… He was staring at me, is something off about my outfit? Oh gosh, what if I chose the wrong shoes!? Are the sparkles not symmetrical? Why wouldn't he—_

Her thoughts were cut short by a small cough.

"Elizabeth? Are you going? You look pale, are you feeling alright?" He asked, putting the back of his hand up to her forehead, drawing closer. Liz let out a tiny squeak, and scooted backwards.

"N-No, I'm fine…" She stammered, feeling the blush rising on her face. _Why am I acting like this? Why is this night special? _Kid shrugged, and continued to walk. Liz groaned at the sight of the stairs.

"Would you mind transforming? I'll just fly us up there." Kid said.

"Sure!" Patty yelped, and transformed in a flash.

"What!? Helllllll to the no. My hair will get messed up." Liz shrieked, and Kid frowned slightly, before clearing his expression.

"Fine then," he said as he summoned the skateboard, "You'll just have to hold on tight."

"Wha—" She started, but he grasped her waist gently with one arm, and pulled her in close to him before taking off.

After Liz had calmed down from her heart attack, she snuck a glance at Kid.

_He smells nice. _

"Liz, that's weird…" she muttered to herself.

_He smells reaaaaally nice. _

"Stop…"'

_Just take it all in. _

"Liz? Are you…smelling me?" Kid asked, and she pulled back quickly.

"What? No. What!?" She stuttered. Kid smiled slyly at her, and the blush, once again, made its entrance. She sighed when he didn't press the matter more, and instead landed at the top of the steps.

"Hey, Kid!" A voice shouted, and he turned to see Kim, Jacqueline, Kilik, Ox Ford, and Harvar. The voice belonged to Kilik, who smiled warmly at him. Despite the friendly welcome, he could see wary glances from all except Jacqueline.

"Hello, everyone, you all look nice tonight," Kid complemented them before walking inside. Even after all this time, he could tell some people still weren't used to him. He weaved his way in between crowds before finding his father.

"Kiddo-kun!" His father called out with a wave, and Kid blushed momentarily at the nickname.

"Hello, Chichiue, when should we get started?" He asked.  
>"Straight to the point as always! I say we're gonna start in a few minutos!" He cheered, and Kid smiled slightly at his enthusiasm. He would usually keep his place next to Shinigami-sama, but since there weren't that many people other than the students, it would be alright for him to walk around.<p>

He reached the entrance, and was greeted by a ball of energy and blue hair.

"Hey, bro, wassup?" Blackstar rasped with a large smile, and Kid stared at his wrinkled, drooping suit with disgust. Tsubaki appeared behind him, in a medium-length, crimson red dress. Her hair was still in her signature ponytail, but a few pieces fell daintly to her shoulders, with small ruby clips scattered in her hair nicely.

"Hello, Kid," she greeted softly with a smile, and Kid returned it.

"You look nice, Tsubaki," he commented, "Blackstar is lucky to be escorting you tonight." He added, and Tsubaki ducked her head, flustered, but Kid saw the smile stretching across her face. Blackstar gave a genuine smile and fist-bumped Kid.

"Yeah I am. Now where's the food?!" He shouted, rushing inside, followed by Tsubaki. Kid was about to turn when he heard a familiar voice call out to him.

"Kid!" He turned to see Maka striding towards him with a glowing face, and his breath caught in his throat. An elegant, dark purple dress with a sparkling rectangle in the middle flowed just above her knees. From the rectangle, soft ruffles flowed down, the back longer than the front. She stood taller, with small purple heels. Her hair tumbled loosely down her shoulders, curled for effect, with only a small purple ribbon off to the side. Her emerald eyes shimmered, and he could see excitement dancing in them.

"Wow," was all he could manage, and Maka looked confused. "Wow, as in a good wow. You look stunning, Maka." He stammered, and Maka blushed.

"You too, Kid." She said, and was about to say more when Soul came from behind. He was wearing a black suit, white undershirt, and a red tie. His hair was combed, but still spiky. No headband tonight.

"Hey." Was all Soul offered, but a grin showed he was excited for tonight as well.

"Hello, Soul," Kid greeted with a polite smile, and he thought he saw concern and almost a threatened glance cross his emotions. Was it because he had complemented Maka? He shook it off, as the only emotion in Soul's eyes now was a contempt gaze.

"Come in, it's just about to start." Kid said, ushering them inside before making his way to the front.

Shinigami-sama stepped up, and a hushed silence fell. It wasn't a scared silence, more like a respectful one.

"Heyooo!" His voice boomed, and a cheer went up from the crowd. "Have fun!" He said, before exiting. The crowd exchanged confused glances, and Kid almost face-palmed. What did he expect? Shinigami had never been a speech giver.

"Welcome, students of the D.W.M.A and visitors, tonight is the night of Shibusen's anniversary, and we invite you to celebrate with us by enjoying the party. Tonight—" He was interrupted by a hoot from Blackstar, who was climbing on the long, draping curtians near the front of the room.

"Try the chicken! It's delicious!" He said with a mouthful, so it actually sounded like: "Twy the cwhicekn! Itz dericiouws!

Kid shot him a cold glare, and cleared his throat.

"Tonight, we will—"

"Actually, try the shrimp! It's good, too!" Blackstar hollered.

Kid practically growled at him.

"TONIGHT, WE WILL—"

"The juice is awesome, you should—"

"TONIGHTWEWILLPROVIDE—"

Blackstar opened his mouth to say something else, but Kid had grabbed a (symmetrical) vase from nearby and flung it at him. Blackstar was knocked down with a yelp. Kid threw the other (symmetrical) vase at him.

"OUCH! You bastard, that hurt!" He screeched.

"Then shut up, you're annoying!" Kid yelled back, right before Blackstar pounced on him and they went down in a tumbling mass of limbs.

"Uh, enjoy the party." Liz called out, and the guests went back to mingling. After the tantrum had ended, the boys stood, brushed themselves off—well, Kid did—and went their separate ways.

"Well. That happened." Liz said to Tsubaki, who slowly shook her head in disbelief and amusement.

* * *

><p>Halfway through the party, it was lively and swinging. Kid was rushing around, trying to make sure the guests were happy as well as symmetrical.<p>

He needed a breath of air, so he escaped to one of many balconies. He practically burst through the doors, and gulped in the night air.

"Kid?! You alright?" A voice chorused, and Kid peered out to see mossy-green eyes staring back at him.

"Oh, geez, Maka. You scared me," he said, heaving a sigh. "Yes, I'm fine. I just needed to escape for a little.

"Same, my dad just dragged my around the dance floor for an hour." She said bitterly, and Kid chuckled. They stared off into the night, savoring the silence that hung. Maka was the first to break it.

"Nothing's happened so far." She said, sipping her drink.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean nothing will." He reminded her, and she nodded, putting the cup down on the railing.

"It's strange," she started, "I don't understand why the black blood cases were popping up, and then they vanished. Not even a gradual decrease." Kid's eyebrows arched a little as he realized the truth behind her words.

"Yes, odd indeed." He murmured, "it's almost as if…" He trailed off, and Maka nodded at him to continue.

"It's almost like the calm before a storm."

The silence hung heavy now, no longer enjoyed by either member. A cold wind blew by, and Maka shivered.

"It's just a theory," he reassured her, and then casually put an arm around her back. "It's chilly out here, why don't we head inside?" She nodded, leaning into his arm a little. A sly smile danced upon his lips as he suddenly got down on a knee.

"Miss Maka Albarn, may I have this dance?" He said, and she giggled.

"Why yes, Death the Kid, you may," she took his hand in an exaggerated gesture. He kissed the top of her hand lightly, before leading her inside. The music played, and all around them were people dancing and enjoying the night. He led her towards the center, her blush becoming redder than a tomato.

"Do you know how to dance?" He whispered to her softly, his breath tickling her ear.

"N-Not really," she stuttered, smiling nervously.

"Would you mind if I take the lead, then?" He asked, and she nodded, her smile growing. He placed his hand on her waist, keeping a safe distance as they began. They twirled, his feet leading and hers following. Her feet felt awkward and clumsy, tripping over his graceful sliding, but he just smiled at her nervousness. Soon, she was connecting, getting the hang of it. He sped up, and Maka felt as if she had wings. They twirled, spun, and inched closer to each other, feeling reality fade. When the song slowed to a stop, so did they, inches apart.

Applause erupted from the crowd, and only then did they realize almost everyone had stopped to watch. It didn't bother Kid, he merely smiled and slightly bowed. Maka's face was a deep red, but she smiled anyways, curtsying.

She didn't even realize the disbelief and jealously radiating from Soul's figure in the back, where Liz was also brooding over the fact that Kid hadn't asked her to dance.

_You want him to ask you to dance? What's wrong with you, Liz? You've never felt this way before. Why are you jealous? They're friends. Just friends. _Liz chided herself, heaving a confused sigh as the words, "just friends" played over and over.

* * *

><p><strong>Ya'll are lucky I managed to get past that writer's block! I felt really inspired, so a long chapter it is. At this time I think I'm going to follow the plot of the anime for the next couple of chapters, and then after that I'm going to mix it up.<strong>

**Squeezed in a bit of romance, hehe. **

**I know, another boring chapter. It'll get interesting soon enough... **

**Hopefully I can figure out how to introduce the villains properly, and since Medusa is one of my favorites, I want to make sure I get her character right. **

**Thanks for sticking with me through this! R&R, I always appreciate suggestions :) **

**~Shay**

**_SIDE NOTE:_ I want to start another fanfiction, probably in the Hetalia fandom. Maybe a zombie apocalypse sort of thing! How many would read? I'd need to know what rating it should be, and if you're ok with character deaths. **


	20. Chapter 20: The Kishin

"_M-Medusa, the preparations have been made."_ A croaky, nervous voice floated through the woman's head.

"Very good, Eruka. Tell the Mizunes to commence the operation as soon as Free is ready." Medusa talked back in a low voice, scanning the area. She blended in well with the party, ditching the 'school nurses' outfit for a slim, long-sleeved black and blue dress. Her yellow eyes snaked back and forth through the crowd, sifting through the students. A wide, creepy smile flashed across her face, as she thought of the glory soon to be accomplished.

_No more working at this stupid school, under this wack-job staff and crazy Shinigami with his "Reaper Chops"…once we revive the Kishin, this school will go down in flames, and rise from the ashes with a new purpose. _Medusa thought to herself, pleased with how they set this up. Not only were all the Shibusen students accounted for, Shinigami-sama was here as well.

"Free, are you ready?" She asked quietly.

A raspy, deep voice replied with a growl, "Just waiting on the signal."

"Be patient, this isn't something we can rush," she snarled, ending with a chuckle, "We will be rewarded with the fall of the D.W.M.A, and madness shall spread!"

On the other end, a wolf-ish looking man with a tattoo saying 'IMMORTAL' just above one oddly colored eye. He was wearing a black and white striped prison outfit, with a black shirt underneath. The prison jacket was wrapped around his waist.

"Are we ready yet? It's cold out here." He grumbled.

"_R-Ready." _The frog voice croaked with nervousness.

"_Chi-chi!" _A squeak closely resembling a mouse responded.

"_We are ready. Don't screw anything up—" _Medusa's voice was cut short, but Eruka and Free paid the interruption no mind.

"Medusa! Hic! Y-You look lovely tonight…hic…" A slurred voice approached the nurse, and she spun around quickly to see Dr. Stein approaching. _Did he hear me? _She thought quietly, sipping her champagne.

"Doctor Stein, what a pleasure." She replied smoothly.

"Such a pretty night…hic…but not as pretty as you!" He roared, taking another swig of his drink.

"Why thank you," Medusa said with a fake smile, "Is that drink tasting alright?"

"Delicious, I think I should get somemore'…hic…" He stuttered, "but before that, let's dance!"

"W-What!? Oh, no no no, I don't think that—eek!" Medusa stammered as Stein grabbed her hand and dragged her out onto the floor. She frowned, but put on a fake smile. He himself wore a giddy expression, one of a drunk man.

_They seriously let nutty, drunk professors teach at this school?_

She asked herself, going along with his dance. The music slowed, and he leaned in closer.

"Lovely night, nurse Medusa," He whispered. The music flowed around them as they swayed quietly to the beat. Others were twirling around on the floor, but Stein and Medusa seemed worlds away. She almost felt a blush rising on her face, he was actually kind of…good looking. About as good looking as a Frankenstein professor could get.

"Or should I say _witch?" _Fear pierced Medusa's body, stopping her movements. The blush vanished quickly while Stein's drunk voice followed it.

_What?! How did he…_

"I don't know what you're talking about, Stein." She answered calmly, but she had hesitated too long.

"Stop with the games, Medusa," he commanded in a steely voice, "Your façade is up. You might as well tell me everything."

Her smile vanished into a dark frown. "You're smarter than I've given you credit for, I'll admit that."

"What a compliment." He retorted.

"But even if I tell you my plans, it would be too late." She smirked, drawing him in closer. "Face it, Stein, it's too late to change anything. The fate of this school was decided as soon as I showed up."

He frowned, but no other emotions showed.

"You're a smart man, and I know you hate to lose," she whispered, "come with me now. Be on the winning side…and on my side," she offered with a sweet smile. She leaned in closer, tilting her head, snaking her way towards his lips.

They came closer, and she could sense a small amount of confusion in his soul. It was small, but it was something to work with. A large smile etched its way across her lips.

The doors burst open, and a man stumbled in. No, not a man, a blue man. A zombie, actually. Sid. He hobbled in, looking more battered than a zombie usually would.

"Sid! What's wrong?" Spirit yelled, running over to the injured man. Most of the students' attention was drawn towards him, and they rushed over as well. His weapon, Nigus, jumped to her human form and helped him stand.

"The mission…didn't…go too well," He stammered through clinched teeth, "It was a…trap." Gasps echoed throughout the crowd. "The D.W.M.A is in…grave…danger," he said as he raised a shaky finger and pointed at Medusa.

"….because of her…a witch!" Eyes swirled to Medusa, whose face was filled with anger.

_That explosion was supposed to kill him! That fool, he's going to ruin the plan. _

"_Now, Free!" _Medusa's voice rang through the Werewolf's head, and he sprang into action. "Soul Protect, off." She said, and people in the room took a step back as her powerful wavelengths filled the air. Before anyone could even make a move, she was gone.

Panic filled the air as no trace of the snake witch was found, while whispers flowed freely as the staff and Lord Death argued and tried to think of a solution.

Cries of alarm rang out as people rushed towards the balcony and windows, pointing at a green box that was surrounding the tower that the party was held in. It wasn't complete yet, but it was growing.

"There!" Kilik pointed, and the rest followed his finger. Sure enough, there was a wolfish figure chanting something.

"T-That's Free!" Blackstar, Maka, and Kid exclaimed.

"He's still alive?" Blackstar grumbled.

"He must have gotten Free somehow!" Kilik yelled, ignoring the pointed glares from the others.

"What is that green stuff?" Liz asked, scratching her head.

"It's a spell!" Maka yelled, her eyes widening.

The green spell was sealing of any entrance and exit rapidly, and both meisters and weapons raced to the door, hoping to get out but with no avail.

"We should—" Soul started to say, but before any of the six could more, coffins opened up underneath their feet.

"Wha!?" Liz shrieked.

"We're falling, we're falling!" Patty sang as they disappeared below ground. After falling for what seemed like a large distance, they landed with a thud. Slowly, Maka, Kid, Soul, Blackstar, Liz, Patty, and Tsubaki rose to their feet as two more people landed beside them.

"Who…?" Tsubaki started to ask, but the figures rose up, one with a white lab coat and the other with red hair.

"Of course. Papa." Maka muttered as Spirit ran over to her and started hugging her leg.

"MY MAKA-CHAN!" He yelled as Maka rolled her eyes.

"Spirit, Stein, why are we down here?" Tsubaki asked, her eyes revealing her confused state of mind.

"That spell was high-level, obviously powered by more than one witch. If we hadn't made it out of there, we'd be trapped inside for two hours." Stein explained.

"Then how did we escape?" Maka asked.

"Just in time, Sid opened up passages up for us to go underground. The DWMA is relying on us now." Spirit said.

"Relying on us to do what?" Kid asked suspiciously.

"Err, you see…" Spirit started, sweat running down his face.

"There's a Kishin underneath the DWMA, and Medusa is trying to revive it with Black Blood."

"WHAT?!" They exclaimed.

"So that's why my father can't leave the school…" Kid realized with a hint of betrayal.

"But that's…" Maka said slowly.

"Why wouldn't he tell US?! Or the freakin' D.W.M.A!?" Liz hollered, while the rest nodded their agreement.

"Because he didn't want you to be freaked out," Stein grumbled, shooting a glare at the teens, "or respond like you are now. But now's not the time for that, we've got to get going or else—"

Before Stein could continue, a low rumbling noise echoed throughout the dark hallway.

"Be on your guard!" Stein said, as the weapons transformed, ready in their meister's hands.

"Stein. What was that?" Spirit asked in a low voice.

"I'm afraid we're too late." Stein answered almost calmly.

"Uh…" Maka said intelligently. The big question hung unanswered in the air.

"What was that?" Blackstar finally blurted out, just as Stein motioned for them to follow.

"That was your Kishin who decided to wake up." Spirit informed them with a scared-out-of-your-mind-but-don't-let-the-small-children-notice laugh.

"Shouldn't we be—" Liz started from inside her weapon form but was interrupted by a large explosion, causing the group to duck. Cracks in the ceiling appeared as rubble rained down upon them, and they stared through the large hole that had opened.

"What should we do?" Liz asked, her voice quivering. "It's still in the tunnels, I bet."

"Stay put." Stein instructed, just as Blackstar yelled, "Go after it!" The two exchanged scowls before beginning to banter over the issue.

"I hate to admit it," Kid said quietly, causing heads to turn, "But I fear it may wreck a large amount of havoc upon the school and our citizens. If we go after it now, we may be able to reduce that amount. For once, I'm with Blackstar." He finished, causing Blackstar's smile to widen. Liz and Patty gave definite 'whoops' of, "We're in!" They turned to a hesitant-looking Maka, who always followed orders.

"Fine, I'm in," She breathed, smiling at the group, who despite Stein and Spirit's angered faces, cheered. Kid turned towards Stein, and opened his mouth as if to say something, but Stein held his hand up.

"Go ahead. Just don't get yourselves killed, that wouldn't look good on my resume." Stein said with an air of reluctance. Three pairs of determined eyes met his before sprinting down the tunnel.

_Was that really a wise choice, Stein? The Kishin has already revived. They cannot beat it—nor can you and your puny Death Scythe. Why not join me? _Stein winced at the snake's voice hissing through his head, and by the look of confusion on Spirit's face, only he had heard it. Shaking his head, he urged Spirit to turn into a weapon.

"I'm _never _joining you, Medusa." Stein spat, and Spirit looked concerned but said nothing, focusing his attention on the path ahead.

Meanwhile, Kid, Maka, and Blackstar had followed the labyrinth of tunnels until the endless twists and turns abruptly…well, ended. They sprinted out into the cool, crisp night sky that hung heavy with tension. Throughout the town, it was eerily quiet.

"False alarm?" Maka muttered under her breath, but the quick shake of Kid's head caused the hope to vanish.

"It's here, whatever it is. I don't know why, but something about this wavelength just seems, familiar." Kid spoke in a tight voice, his eyes scanning the darkness ahead.

"Well! Whatever this thing is, it's obviously not big enough to challenge ME!" Blackstar screeched, puffing his chest out, while Tsubaki's eye roll could basically be heard. "I say we just—" A large rumbling caused the blue-haired boy to lose his footing as well as his train of thought.

"You just had to jinx it!" Maka cried, clutching Kid's arm to regain her balance. The rumbling ceased, but the fear had already been planted inside their hearts.

The rumbling started once again, only stronger. A few blocks down, the street erupted into an explosive_ whoosh _of flames and rubble. Something streaked up into the sky, long streaks of white streaming out behind it. Screams were heard in the distance, and the group fought the urge to run. Even if they couldn't see it, they knew.

The Kishin was revived.

* * *

><p><strong>Dun dun dunnnnnnn! And by 'dun' I mean done procrastinating. But not really. Wow, I feel awful...I wasn't aware so many people were following this story! Thanks for doing that! Unfortunately, I'm lazy. Very, very lazy. <strong>

**So, I've decided to cut this story short due to lack of inspiration and motivation. Y'all can expect like, five more chapters or so. Since I'm not following the anime or manga (this IS a fanfiction) don't get mad at me for not being good with plots...and how to end plots and stuff.  
><strong>

**Honestly though thank you all for staying with me! It makes me reaaaally happy. I'm not putting this story on hiatus but don't expect too much from me, school's pretty time-consuming and so is sports and stuff. **

**Any suggestions for how to improve or where to take this story? Just PM me or review. Just now reading over this whole thing, sorry if the characters are OOC. **

**Also, for any Hetalians out there who are still trying to preserve the fandom (it's great, you should join and let it consume your soul) I will be starting some new fics about that stuff, so any recommendations or suggestions are appreciated. **

**Sorry for the long A/N! **

**~Shay**


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